Hold Me Down
by DivineFawn
Summary: On his way home from a bar, Jack falls into an early heat. (A/B/O Dynamics aka Omegaverse, Septiplier. Warnings inside.) / / It's the devil that's trying to hold me down. / /
1. Chapter 1: Demons

A/N: Please proceed with caution. There is graphic rape and dark themes in this fic. If this isn't your cup of tea, please back out now. Sorry Jack.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Demons**

It's been a long day and Jack is more than happy to settle down and relax with a couple of drinks. He's been chatting up one of his friends in their local bar, casually switching between drinking whiskey and beer.

"'Bout time ya got a mate, eh, Jack?" His Alpha friend remarks.

Jack resists the urge to roll his eyes. Jerry and his mate, Clara, had been together since the beginning of high school and mates since graduation. They expected Jack to become mated to his Alpha girlfriend at the time, but it just hadn't worked out. It's been many years since the end of high school and Jack had yet to find himself a new partner. A couple of Alphas had shown interest in him, but Jack just wasn't having it. He was fine being a single Omega, not tied down by some knot-head. Besides, he had his YouTube career to focus on.

His career, which he absolutely adored. Even in this day and age there was still some bigotry against Omegas, believing their status to be of a lower class. Essentially, no more than whining bitches who needed to be knotted and bred. Jack hated that stereotype, which was why YouTube was so great. His fans didn't care that Jack was an Omega (even if he personally did), and they loved him for who he was.

In the beginning, he had been extremely hesitant to disclose which class he belonged to. After all, Jack had faced many prejudices in the past due to his so-called second gender. Through the lens of a camera, no one would be able to tell his status. He had wanted to leave it at that, but the fans were determined to figure out what he was. Many expected him to be a Beta, neither truly dominant or submissive, but somewhere in the middle of it all.

After browsing through the comments on his videos, Jack realized that the most upvoted comments were supportive of him if he did in fact turn out to be an Omega.

 _like if u support omega jack_

 _I'll still watch his channel even if he's an Omega. JSE is amazing._

 _We're here for you Jack, no matter what your status is!1!_

Finally he had decided to make a vlog to address the issue. He revealed that he was an Omega, and explained his reasonings for keeping that fact quiet. Since then, Jack had received nothing but love and support from not only the community, but his YouTube friends as well, which warmed his heart. He had been much better at accepting his Omega status after that.

"I don't know, Jerry," Jack sighed. "YouTube is keeping me plenty busy. I don't think I could be a good Omega for my Alpha."

"Well," the Alpha started, taking a quick sip of his whiskey. "With an Alpha to support you you wouldn't need your video making hobby."

Jack bit his tongue. Jerry was one of his best friends, even if he could be a total knot-head at times. Like right now for instance. Jack wanted to say that having a mate didn't mean he couldn't work. And his job was much more than just a mere "hobby". It was his entire life now.

Instead of chewing the other Alpha out, Jack shrugged. He wanted to correct the other, but his stupid biology was telling him not to disagree and possibly anger the Alpha. _Worthless Omegan brain,_ Jack thought bitterly.

Lifting his glass, Jack quickly emptied the contents. "I'd better get going, it's pretty late now."

"Yeah," Jerry agreed. "Do you want me to walk ya home?"

"Nah, I'll be fine," Jack assured the other. "You better get home to the misses."

Jerry smiled. "I'm sure she's jealous of how much time I spend with you." The two shared a brief laugh. "Really though, be careful out there. It's a new moon tonight."

Jerry was always the superstitious one of his friend group. With a small chuckle, Jack got up from the bar stool, placing money on the counter. "I'll try."

Outside the bar, Jack waved Jerry off before heading home in the different direction. He was glad that Jerry agreed that it was a good time to leave, since Jack was feeling a little under the weather. He felt shaky and warm all over, and not the "I just drank some alcohol" kind of warm. Almost like a _heat_ kind of hot.

But that was ridiculous. It had only been four months since Jack's last heat, so he should still have another safe two months before the next one. He shoved his hands further into his coat pockets, shivering in the chilly night air. He picked up his pace, wanting to get home as quickly as possible as a rising sensation of nausea hit him. He became aware of the green fringe of his bangs sticking to his forehead from sweat, and as he began panting through his mouth he knew he had to hurry.

When he felt the beginnings of slick wetting his underwear, Jack froze.

 _Shit._ He was going into an early heat. And he wasn't even home yet.

Jack took off into a sprint. Pupils dilating, he became hyper aware of his surroundings, mostly focusing on the different smells in the area. His Omegan senses eagerly sought out potential mates while Jack's brain screamed at him to _stop it_ and get the fuck back to his flat.

The scent of an excited, unmated Alpha flooded Jack's nostrils, and he slowed to a halt. Turning, he noticed the Alpha, a tall blond male, leaning up against a brick wall. The Alpha would be wagging his tail if he had one by the look he gave Jack. Shoving off the wall, the man's smile turned to a feral grin.

"Well, isn't it my lucky day," he spoke, tone dangerous and bright blue eyes wild. "An unmated Omega shows up right before me, _in heat!"_ He gave a bark of a laugh which sent a shiver down Jack's spine.

"P-please," Jack's voice came out no more than a broken whimper, and he hated how fucking pathetic he sounded. His feet were practically rooted in the ground beneath him.

"Please what?" the Alpha questioned, stalking closer to the frightened Omega. "Please knot you? Please breed you?" He laughed loudly. "I plan to."

Jack's fight or flight senses finally kicked in, and he tried to bolt away from the other, who was close on his heels in the thrill of a chase. Jack rounded the corner of the block, only to run smack into a lightpole. He yelped startledly, falling backwards on his arse. As the Alpha caught up to him, he double over in laughter.

"Holy shit!" he cried hysterically. "You've gotta fuckin' be kidding me. I can't _believe_ that just happened!"

Dazed, Jack tried to regain his senses until a firm hand clamped down on his coat collar. "No! Stop!" Jack yelped again as he was dragged backwards into an alleyway.

"No chance in hell," the Alpha grinned. "This is too good to be true."

Jack could smell the eager excitement and arousal on the other man, which immediately and regretfully went straight to his groin. More slick leaked out between his cheeks and Jack whined and wiggled uncomfortably. Where the hell were the bystanders? Weren't there usually people in the streets to prevent this kind of thing from happening? Sure, it was late, but not _that_ late!

Suddenly Jack was thrown and his head made contact with the dirty pavement. He cried out in pain, attempting to curl up into a ball before the much larger Alpha was on top of him, forcing his hands above his head and holding them in place with an iron tight grip. The Alpha immediately began licking and sucking at his neck, nibbling lightly. Jack wanted to scream out and throw the other off of him, but his damned Omegan instincts forced him to bare his neck to the Alpha his body was trying so hard to entice.

The Alpha began panting heavily, pressing his hard length in between Jack's legs. Oh how Jack would just _love_ to be able to bring his knees together, but his senses only made him widen the distance between them, making more room for the Alpha currently violating him. His entire body felt feverish and shaky, and Jack wasn't sure he had enough strength to fight off the Alpha if he could.

He felt the Alpha's teeth line up with the juncture of his neck, ready to bite down and mark him. _Claim_ him.

"Please, no," Jack whimpered, tears starting to stream down his face.

Pain erupted in his neck as sharp teeth punctured his flesh, biting down hard. The Alpha moaned through a mouthful of skin, gnawing on Jack's shoulder. Jack felt wetness slide down his collarbones which he knew had to be blood. He bucked his hips up, his body already accepting the beginnings of the bond while Jack screamed _NO_ in his mind repeatedly. The teeth retracted from his neck, and Jack hissed out in pain. The Alpha hadn't been gentle in the slightest.

"Oh, my Omega," he breathed, and Jack's heart practically stopped at the deranged look on the other's face. "You're so perfect. So beautiful. So eager for me."

Jack keened, high and loud, body jerking at the praise and mind breaking. His heat-fevered body was beginning to take over, leaving Jack but a prisoner in his own head.

"Now for the main event," the Alpha said in a sing-song voice, licking his chops.

With swift fingers, he ripped Jack's jeans and pants from his body, leaving the small Omega's lower half naked and exposed. He had an erection from all the stimulation which embarrassed him to no end. How could be be aroused from being sexually assaulted? Heat or not, there must be something wrong with him. Regaining a bit of sense, Jack tried to snap his legs closed, only for the much stronger Alpha to pry them open again. He pulled his hard length from the confines of his own jeans and lined up with the Omega's dripping entrance.

Jack's eyes widened. "N-no…"

With an animalistic grin the Alpha brutally shoved his cock into Jack. The Omega cried out in surprise, disbelief, and _pain._ The Alpha was huge, and no matter how wet Jack was, the size was just too much for him. Tears streamed down his face as Jack sobbed uncontrollably. Despite how his body reacted, Jack knew he didn't want this.

This was nothing but rape.

" _Fuck,"_ the Alpha growled out in ecstasy, dipping his head and biting down on the bond mark again. Jack gasped in both discomfort and unexpected pleasure. He tried to remind himself that he was only feeling good from all the stimulation which his body told him he needed in his heat.

The Alpha set a fast pace, ruthlessly fucking into Jack's leaking hole. His hand moved from holding on to Jack's wrists to snatching up his hips in a bruising grip. Jack's arms flailed helplessly before settling on wrapping around the Alpha's neck to hold on for dear life.

Jack's mind was screaming out, wanting the whole thing to be some kind of a sick dream rather than reality. He couldn't believe that this was how his first time was going down. An Omega's virginity was considered a luxury for the Alpha to take, at least it was in the cinema. Heats were meant to be shared between a trusting pair of Alpha and Omega, where the Alpha would lavish their Omega and praise them to no end. This was nothing like that. This was hard, painful, and downright cruel.

Tears continued to spill from Jack's icy blue eyes. His brows were drawn together, mouth open wide and panting. Sweat dripped down into his eyes, mixing with the tears and blurring his vision. This was all too much for him. There couldn't possibly be some random Alpha on top of him, fucking into him mercilessly, could there? His body was telling him _yes,_ _Alpha is here, fuck me, breed me, knot me,_ while Jack's mind only begged and pleaded for this to stop.

He felt the base of the Apha's cock begin to swell in size, and Jack realized that the knot was forming.

 _Oh God, no._

"No! No, stop, please," Jack whined, knowing full well that despite his pleas the Alpha wouldn't stop now after everything that he'd done. "P-please, don't do this. I've never done this before."

"Hahh, lucky me then," the Alpha moaned. He picked up the pace, going from fast, accurate stabs to sloppy, uneven thrusts. Jack could tell the other was getting close. When the bulge of the knot began to catch on his rim Jack cried out and tried to pull away with all of his strength. "Not so fast," the other man growled, using his Alpha tone.

Jack instinctively stiffened. The authoritative Alpha tone commanded him to stay in place, and that's exactly what Jack was going to do, no matter how much he would rather run away.

"Omega," he man began chanting, and Jack twitched. He was completely helpless like this.

As the knot finally grew to full size, the Alpha made one final thrust before the swollen knot locked him in place. His fingernails dug into Jack's sides, and the poor Omega whimpered as the Alpha's hot, sloshy cum filled him up. _No no no._

The Alpha moaned lowly, releasing deep inside of Jack, his knot preventing any semen from leaking out. Jack sobbed openly, coughing and wheezing, trying to catch his breath. His eyes were wide, frantically darting around for something or someone to make this end.

Jack froze again as the Alpha lowered his head, burying his nose in Jack's neck, specifically on the bond bite. The Alpha licked at the sore spot, and Jack flinched. It was so tender.

The bond bite itself was something special between an Alpha and their Omega. It was a type of claiming mark which visually let others know that the Omega had already taken by another. But it also had a deeper meaning. The bond would make the pair sense the other on a whole other level. They would be able to understand their mate on a more emotional level. Some strongly bonded pairs could even sense their mate's emotions despite their mate not being present at the time.

However, since Jack hadn't bitten the Alpha in turn, it was an incomplete bond. Jack would feel the need to care for his Alpha's needs and could feel his emotions, but the Alpha wouldn't do the same for the other. Unfair as it was, Jack wasn't looking forward to the aftermath of all of this.

He couldn't believe any of had just happened. Some stranger had just bonded him, raped him, and knotted him.

As unfortunate as Jack was for this to happen, this kind of event was much more common than the media would portray. Omegas were completely helpless in these types of situations, mere slaves to their own biology. No matter how much they would like to fight back or flee, their body responded openly to the assault and even accepted the Alpha raping them during a heat.

Jack only hoped that he wouldn't get pregnant from all of this.

Finally the knot went down to its normal size, and the Alpha carefully removed his cock from Jack, who hissed lightly from the overstimulation. Jack bucked his hips upwards again, body trying to keep his Alpha still inside him.

The Alpha stood, tucking himself away in his pants. "I'm Tom," he said simply, as though they were meeting properly for the first time and nothing had just happened between them.

"Jack," was the Omega's wheeze of a reply. His brain was shutting off at this point, too tired and full of disbelief to properly function anymore. All Jack felt now was tired. And satiated. He still felt warm, and it was a pleasant kind of warmth that spread throughout his body. His heat had been satisfied for the time being, but Jack would be at its mercy again in a few short hours.

"Let's go," Tom announced, reaching down to help Jack up, who automatically grabbed the offered hands.

Tom pulled Jack's pants back up for him, zipping and buttoning them. "Where are we going?" Jack slurred, tongue heavy as lead in his mouth.

"To my flat," his Alpha replied, brushing the dirt off of his Omega. "Let's go get you cleaned up."

And so the newly mated pair headed off in the opposite direction of Jack's house, Jack numbly following alongside the man who just assaulted him. He was so confused, had so many questions for this "Tom" fellow, like why the _fuck_ did he do that to Jack, and why was he being so damn nice now?, yet all Jack could manage for now was an exhausted yawn. A weight lay across his shoulders which Jack noted to be Tom's arm wrapping around him. Jack shivered, half wanting to throw it off, half wanting to accept the comforting pressure. He decided to just deal with it later, letting his Alpha care for him.

 _My Alpha,_ Jack sighed out in content, eyes shutting lazily as the two walked slowly down the path.

His eyes snapped wide open.

 _Wait. MY Alpha?_


	2. Ch 2: He's Got Me Down On Both Knees

A/N: TW on this chapter for descriptions of abuse.

* * *

 **Chapter 2 - He's Got Me Down on Both Knees**

There was absolutely no way he could hide it now.

The bond mark showed a bit when he was wearing regular shirts, which was practically Jack's entire wardrobe. Because of that, he would need to tell his fans how he now had a "mate".

Of course, he wouldn't tell them how he got said mate.

Jack rolled over in an unfamiliar bed with foreign yellow sheets wrapped around him, becoming more aware of his new environment. He was currently at Tom's flat, lying in bed next to the still sleeping Alpha.

After making it back to the Alpha's apartment last night, Tom gently helped change the Omega into spare clothes for sleeping, and the two cuddled up in bed together. Jack was too tired to protest as his back was pressed into his new Alpha's chest.

Now that it was morning, Jack needed some damn explanations while he still could focus.

His entire body was warm, the feverish feeling slowly creeping back onto him. And while he had be sated the night before, Jack knew well enough that his heat would soon return full force, reducing him yet again to a whining bitch. Jack absolutely hated it.

He would much rather have stayed on his suppressants, prescribed medication for Omegas to suppress their heats, but Jack had been on his since he was sixteen. Suppressants were dangerous if an Omega stayed on them for too long, which could render the Omega infertile. Now twenty-six, Jack's doctor recommended that he lay off the pills for his next couple heats so his body could regulate his cycle again. But since Jack had only been off his meds for his last heat a couple months ago, his heat cycle was still unregulated. That could have caused him to go into heat prematurely as he had the night before.

Jack huffed his annoyance, nostrils flaring. He was sick of being an Omega. There were so many problems that came with being one, physical aspects and negative connotations and all. He was so tired of it all.

He pondered going to the station and ratting Tom out to the police. But he knew that it would just be a wasted effort. Even though Jack could argue that it was a premature heat, he had been in heat at the time of the assault. To the cops, the Omega would be at fault. It was an Omega's job to be in a secure location to ride out their heat, and not entice any Alphas out and about. Even if it was rape, Tom could argue that his instincts took over when exposed to the Omega heat-scent. Jack hated that most about being an Omega. Their stories and plights were often ignored, Alphas being more favored and listened to. This was another reason why Omega rape cases weren't as broadcasted, since many Omegas chose to keep their assault to themselves and not go to the police.

Jack growled lowly to himself. He hated being off his medication, he hated Tom for taking advantage of him, he hated that he couldn't do anything to protect himself, but most of all, Jack hated himself for being an Omega. As he tried to crawl out of bed, strong arms wrapped around him and pulled him back into bed with a firm grip. He gave a surprised yelp, hearing shifting behind him as the Alpha gradually stirred awake.

"Hmn," Tom hummed, not fully awake yet.

Jack squirmed uncomfortably. He may have been fine cuddling up to the Alpha last night, but now, this was just too much. His hormones had told him he was safe in his Alpha's arms, but momentarily out of his heat daze, Jack realized he knew nothing about this man other than the fact that he had taken advantage of Jack the prior night.

Anger swelled in his gut, and using a bit of strength Jack pushed himself out of bed. The Alpha's arms tried to circle around him once more, but they merely grasped at empty air. Jack stumbled, feet caught up in the covers and he tripped, falling face first on the hardwood floor with a prominent _thump._

The noise alerted the other, who finally sat up in bed, blinking tiredly. His sky blue eyes settled on Jack, who was a mess of limbs on the floor, blankets still tangled around his body.

He raised a brow. "You okay, Jack?"

Jack bristled with irritation. The way the other used his first name so casually, as though the two were old friends, frankly pissed him off.

"Just peachy," Jack snapped, but the look on the Alpha's face made him wish he hadn't.

His entire countenance shifted from sleepy and curious to alert and angry. "Don't you fucking talk to me like that, bitch." Each word was enunciated in such a way that made Jack instinctively lower his head with a pathetic, high pitched whine.

 _Alpha is mad! Apologize!_ His Omega part of him ordered, and won. "Sorry, Alpha," Jack murmured, and he bit his lip hard. The pain distracted him and kept him from saying more than he needed to, save for a pleading whine escaping him.

His Alpha's expression changed once again, this time to a concerned one, brows furrowed slightly. "Oh no, shh shh shhhhh, Jack, I'm here for you," the Alpha said, climbing out of bed and joining Jack on the ground. He wrapped his broad arms around the cowering Omega. "I'm here, love."

Not realizing why the other had changed so suddenly again, Jack flinched when the other grabbed him. Then he realized the wetness dripping from his eyes, and Jack hiccuped as he began to cry in earnest. So much had just happened in the past 24 hours and Jack just didn't know how to deal with it. He buried his nose instinctively into Tom's neck, breathing deeply in his scent. The Alpha was putting out calming pheromones to try and soothe the frightened Omega, whose instincts were in complete control due to his heat. Jack let himself be calmed by his Alpha, taking deep breaths of that intoxicating scent. Tom rubbed gentle circles on the Omega's back, humming a soft tune. The heat was creeping back on him, and Jack shifted slightly in the Alpha's grip with a whine. Everywhere the Alpha touched sent a shock through his body, leaving a tingling sensation in its wake. Jack could only bite his lip and ride out the waves of heat that left his body trembling.

 _What the actual fuck_ _is happening._

* * *

"Top of the mornin' to ya laddies!" Jack began his usual intro, focusing his nervous energy into his recording.

"I just wanted to make a vlog to update you guys on something major that happened."

Jack was extremely worried about revealing this bit of information, though he knew that the more observant viewers would already be able to spot his bond mark peeking out the neck of his shirt. There was no way to hide it, so might as well bring it up before his fans did. He was sure that if he had tried to keep quiet about his new mate, there would be a ton of conspiracy theories that Mark was secretly it. The Septiplier fans would have gone absolutely mad with the possibilities. Honestly, he wished it had been Mark than some random stranger.

He considered Mark one of his close friends, and the Alpha never seemed put off by the fact that Jack was an Omega. He never treated him any different, and eagerly welcomed him into their little 'pack', consisting of Mark, the Grumps, and other YouTuber friends. Mark was a very respectable Alpha, and never pushed Jack to do something he didn't feel comfortable with. That was one of the reasons that Jack looked up to the other as he did. He always did have a little crush on Mark, which he covered by making lame Septiplier jokes. Jack had never been too good at reading people, so he had no idea if Mark felt the same. If he did, he did a pretty good job of hiding it.

Jack cleared his throat. Thinking of Mark at the moment was not going to help him get this video over with. "Something major happened to me." Jack seriously wanted to smack himself. He was going to have to edit that part out. He was so nervous that he was beginning to repeat himself like an asshole who's never recorded a video in their life.

Jack shrugged it off, trying to keep his calm. "I've got a mate now." He could consciously feel the tension in his body, bond mark throbbing slightly and leg bouncing anxiously and him biting his lips on occasion.

He took a deep breath, ready to start again. "Yesterday I got myself a ma-"

" _JACK!"_

Jack jumped in his rolley chair, swiveling around to face the door just in time for it to fly open, an angry Alpha blocking the only exit to the room. He quickly switched to his recording program and ended the recording there. He'd have to try again later.

"W-what Tom?" he questioned shakily. What could he have done to make his Alpha so mad?

Tom's nostrils flared. "I said I wanted lunch ready when I woke up from my nap. So where the _fuck_ is my food!?"

Jack's stomach dropped. _Shit._ He was so preoccupied with getting his vlog done that he completely forgot about what his Alpha had asked for.

Before Jack could so much as apologise, a hand came at him, firmly making contact with his face. Jack reeled back from the slap, delicately cradling his injured cheek in disbelief. _My Alpha hurt me._ He shouldn't have been so taken aback, but he was. After all, his Alpha only became his through sexual assault in the first place.

Jack turned around, kneeling on the ground to present to his Alpha as he lifted his rear into the air. "I'm so sorry Alpha," Jack tried, begging for forgiveness. His instincts were in complete control of his warm and shaking body, Jack still being in the prime of his heat. His body figured that the easiest way to gain his Alpha's forgiveness was to present his body for the taking.

 _I can't believe I'm doing this,_ Jack thought sourly. This Alpha managed to get Jack down on both his knees, something he had never done for anyone else. It was such a submissive display. Jack absolutely hated it.

"That's a good Omega, presenting your perfect ass to me. Such a good bitch," His Alpha cooed, stalking over to where Jack was positioned, ass up and twitching. He kneeled down, beginning to unbuckle Jack's trousers.

Jack bit his lip harshly and whined pitifully, not wanting to do this but not having the strength to resist.

His Alpha got his own pants undone, lining up his hardening cock with Jack's hole, grunting as he thrust forward.

* * *

"Phew," his Alpha panted out with a satisfied sigh. "I sure worked up an appetite." He said the last bit with purposeful emphasis, implying Jack to get up.

Immediately Jack scrambled for his clothes and bolted out of the room. He nearly tripped down the stairs, ass throbbing and struggling with getting his clothes on properly. He went down to the kitchen, standing there and taking a moment to rearrange his clothing, breathing deeply. He took steadying breaths, trying to calm down and not cry again.

Alpha was even rougher with him just then than earlier when they first met. His knees and elbows throbbed from kneeling on the hardwood floor for so long and being pushed into it. Jack rubbed his upper arms, trying to regain his composure as tears leaked out of his pale blue eyes. His familiar surroundings helped, as they were now back at Jack's apartment.

Earlier that morning, the newly mated pair headed off to meet Jack's family, who were all thrilled he had finally found a mate. It was Jack's older sister who seemed suspicious of Tom. Jack's parents were getting up there in age, and may not have been able to smell the lingering heat on Jack, but she could. She treated Tom with caution, and even threatened him when she thought no one was looking.

"If you hurt my brother, then it will be the last thing you ever do," she growled.

Jack felt touched by her show of protection. As an Alpha, she was always there to support and protect Jack in anyway she could. Tom took the threat lightly, simply laughing it off.

Later though when the two were back in Tom's car, his previous laughter was void, replaced by a look of pure irritation. "That Alpha bitch better not cause me any trouble," he practically hissed out. Jack had sunk down in his seat.

When they arrived at Jack's apartment, Tom immediately set about laying his scent down. "Don't want any other Alphas around here," he commanded in his Alpha tone. Jack could do nothing but nod at the obvious order and its implications. He told Jack that he was exhausted from meeting his boringly plain family, so he was going to take a nap. "When I wake up, you better have my food ready," he growled out before settling down on the sofa.

Jack figured that he'd have enough time to quickly film, edit, and upload a vlog to update his fans on his new situation. However, his filming took a lot longer than expected, nerves getting the best of him. By the time Jack was finally getting into the groove of things, Tom had stormed up the stairs in a fit.

 _It was my fault really,_ Jack thought with a small sniffle. _I should have had food ready for Alpha._

Shaking his head to rid him of these pointless thoughts, Jack set to work making Tom a sandwich. "Ha. How fuckin' stereotypical," Jack said humorlessly to the cold, empty room.

Finally, a completed BLT sat on the counter, ready for eating. "Alpha!" Jack called up the stairs, and he mentally slapped himself. _Why the fuck do I keep calling him Alpha?_

"Coming!" Jack heard the reply, followed by loud thumping footsteps down the wooden stairs. "Ugh, finally," Tom said, seeing the food in the kitchen. "I've been waiting for fuckin' ever."

Jack wisely didn't reply. Instead, he headed back upstairs to his recording room.

He had a vlog to make.


	3. Chapter 3: Knock Me Out

**Chapter 3: Knock Me Out**

Nervous fingers hesitated on the mouse. Jack was extremely anxious about publishing this vlog, uncertain of the kind of reception it would receive with his fans.

Finally just deciding _fuck it,_ Jack clicked the publish button on YouTube. His video had already finished processing, and now it was public for all to see. Although Jack hated titling videos in a clickbait fashion like some other YouTubers he knew (ahem, Felix), Jack had ended up titling the video "Huge Life Update! | Vlog #104". It was truly the only thing he could come up with, and he might as well try and get it out to all his viewers to prevent any confusion or speculation.

Sitting back in his rolley chair with a heavy sigh, all Jack could do was wait and see what happened. And in the meantime, catch up on recording.

* * *

Jack was in the middle of recording one of his final Happy Wheels videos when he got a Skype call. _Markibutt calling…_ the notification read. Normally Jack would have ignored it and called the other back later, being halfway through recording and all, but something deep inside him told him to answer the Alpha.

Pausing his recording, Jack clicked out of the screen and switched over to Skype.

After a few brief seconds of loading, Mark's handsome face popped into view. Jack was about to give a boisterous greeting, but halted. Mark's face was contorted downward in an extremely worried expression.

"Hey, Mark," Jack said quietly, mouth suddenly dry.

"Jack," Mark replied, regarding him stiffly despite the raw emotion he showed on his face.

Jack chuckled nervously, trying to lighten the tense mood. "What's up?"

Mark scoffed. "What's 'up' Jack? Really?"

He frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is what the fuck is up with your newest vlog?"

Jack recoiled. He hadn't been expecting Mark to be so hostile. "What's wrong, Mark?"

"What's wrong? Are you fucking kidding me?" Mark asked, voice raising as he raked a hand through his sweaty red locks.

Baffled, Jack had no response. He wasn't quite sure what Mark was expecting him to do or say. Or why he was so mad in the first place. Opening his mouth, Jack tried to gently prod him to get a calmer response when the call abruptly ended.

Jack jumped, only now noticing his Alpha standing right next to him, hand on the mouse.

"What are you doing?" His voice was low and dangerous.

Swallowing, Jack tried to keep his heart from leaping out of his chest. "Uh, taking with a friend?"

The Alpha's next words were cold as ice. "And is that friend an _alpha?"_

Jack opened his mouth to reply but hesitated. Already seeing where this conversation was going, Jack shut his mouth in lieu of a response. His lack of answer was clear enough to the Alpha.

Jack only had milliseconds to see the hand before it smacked him in the face. He fell out of his chair, hitting his elbow on the wood floor, hard. He yelped in pain, surprised for the second time that day that his Alpha hurt him.

"Why the fuck were you talking with another Alpha!? _I'm_ your Alpha now!"

Jack was about to apologize when another hand came at him, forcing him to fall backwards once again. He held his injured cheek, feeling the stinging pain spreading through his body.

"I never want you talking to another Alpha again," Tom seethed, and before Jack could tell him how unreasonable that was, his Alpha was stomping out the door and slamming it behind him. The pictures hanging on Jack's wall shook from the force.

Sitting there, bewildered, Jack knew that he had to end his forced relationship with Tom and get the hell out of dodge. Ireland was his home, but with Tom there, it was no more than a prison. His instincts told him to stay and that ' _it was your fault Alpha got so mad in the first place'_ and that Jack should ' _follow Alpha's orders and he'll never get like this again'_.

 _Lies,_ Jack thought bitterly.

He had to fight his instincts tooth and nail. His Omega part of him was persistent, wanting him to stay with his Alpha. ' _He's only like this because the bond is incomplete. Mark him and he will be yours'._ Shaking his head, Jack scrambled back up and sat in his chair with a huff. He knew exactly where he needed to go.

He quickly pulled up his internet browser, searching up plane tickets to the states.

* * *

It was quiet.

The two sat across from each other at Jack's kitchen table, eating the baked potatoes Jack made. He had laughed while cooking, thinking how the Irishman was going to eat a meal of potatoes. He liked to be funny like that. Subtle.

But now, it was silent. There was still tension from earlier when Tom had hit Jack, and Jack was stiff as a board for what he was about to do.

He knew he had to leave Tom. There was no way he could stay with an abusive prick like him. But first, Jack needed him to get out of his house. Then he could go and stay in LA for a while until Tom gave up on finding him. He just needed to get away for a while, get out and stay away from Tom. First, he needed Tom out of his house.

But the only way he could do that was to ask the Alpha to leave. Jack took a deep, steadying breath.

This wouldn't go well.

"So Alpha," Jack started, freezing up as Tom's eyes locked with his.

"Yes?" he questioned, a steely edge to his voice.

Jack felt a drop of sweat run down his temple. "I need to fly out to California for a convention," he blurted, immediately regretting both lying and speaking at all.

Tom laughed. "You aren't going anywhere." He then went promptly back to eating his meal, effectively ignoring Jack.

 _Well, that went great!_ Jack thought sourly, rolling his eyes.

"Did you just fucking roll your eyes at me?"

Jack stiffened. _Fuck_. He didn't think Tom was looking and-

A loud crash sounded to Jack's right, and he realized that Tom had thrown his dinner plate, shattering it not a yard from where Jack was sitting. The Alpha leaped out of his seat, menacingly stalking over to where Jack was cowering. "What do you say?" He questioned, voice gravelly.

"S-sorry Alpha," Jack said, a high pitch whine rising from the back of his throat automatically.

Tom's eyes softened slightly as he smiled, showing off his yellow, crooked teeth. "That's better, innit?"

Jack was about to nod when his entire view shifted, head being forced to slam against the table by the much stronger Alpha. Fingers tangled in his toxic green hair, pulling him back up roughly. Jack's face was full of potatoes from having been shoved in his food. He whined pitifully, realizing how helpless he was under the hand of his Alpha. Tom leaned in, licking a stripe up Jack's cheek, who trembled with fear.

He sighed, sounding content, and brought Jack's face to eye level. His blue eyes were void of any emotion, staring at Jack blankly, who could only look back with a terrified expression.

"What do you say?" Tom repeated with a sinister smile.

"I-I'm sorry-" Jack broke off in a sob.

The grin dropped. Tom's grip in his hair tightened, and Jack winced from the pain. "Not fucking good enough."

Jack flinched as his head was brought down again on the table, even harder this time. Tom repeatedly slammed him into the table, not caring how badly Jack got hurt. Jack scrunched his eyes shut as his arms flailed helplessly, trying to find purchase on the other's arms to try and dislodge him. His ears were ringing and head throbbing. He felt a _crunch_ just as a _crack_ sounded. When he felt sharp glass piercing his skin and liquid dripping from his nose, Jack realized that he had broken both the plate and his nose, and was now being stabbed by the shards.

"Stop! Tom _please!"_ Jack tried, screaming.

Finally Tom halted his actions. He released his grip from Jack's hair, letting the Omega's head drop back down against the mess on the table. The Alpha stood over him, chest heaving and fingers twitching. Jack was sure he'd never put out as many fear pheromones before than he had just now. The Alpha took a deep breath, the terrified scent finally clicking with him. "Oh my... Omega..."

Jack weakly lifted his head, feeling a warmth trickle down his temple. His nose burned, feeling a white hot throbbing pain as more liquid dropped from it. It dropped right onto the ruined meal, bright red. _  
_  
Feeling dizzy and sick and hurt and betrayed all at once, Jack let his head fall once more, not having the strength to hold it up.

His vision blurred, and Jack blinked slowly as everything faded to black.


	4. Chapter 4: Climbing Out the Back Door

**A/N:** Hello everyone! I'm back with another chapter. I got a lot of feedback about how Jack seemed really OOC, but please keep in mind that his heat was clouding his judgement and actions. That will be cleared up in this chapter I hope.

TW in this chapter for graphic descriptions of violence. Like. LOTS of violence.

* * *

 **Chapter 4 - Climbing Out the Back Door**

Jack slowly blinked to awareness. Light filtered in through his blinds, casting dancing shadows on the bed sheets wrapped securely around him.

 _Bed sheets?_ He didn't remember going to sleep.

A familiar creak sounded to his left, and Jack turned just in time to see Tom enter the room, tray full of food in hand. The aroma of eggs and toast tickled at his nose.

"Hey," Tom said with a surprisingly soft quality, as though afraid of spooking the Omega. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired? Confused?" Jack murmured, eyes trained on the figure as it approached him. He tried sitting up, but the motion sent a wave of dizziness through him. His entire face was throbbing in pain and a pounding headache made him bite his lip with a whine of pain. Besides the dull throb of his head and nose, Jack realized that the feverish quality that came with a heat had faded significantly. He was no longer shaking or panting from the heat, instead more solid and mentally present than he had been days prior. His heat was ending.

"It's okay, shh," the Alpha soothed, and calming pheromones flooded through Jack to try and relax him from the pain.

The Alpha kneeled down by his side, setting the tray ever so carefully on Jack's empty lap. "What's all this for?" Jack questioned, more than slightly suspicious of Tom's motives. The last thing he remembered was–

Oh.

 _Ohh._

No wonder his head hurt so much.

"Omega," Tom began, voice wavering in a way that sounded like he was about to cry. "I am so, _so_ sorry. For everything. I never meant to hurt you. You know I love you."

Jack blinked owlishly. ' _See! See!? Alpha does care!'_ His instincts whispered, much quieter than they had before. But Jack wasn't fooled. This was exactly the type of behaviour he should expect out of Tom at this point. There was no redeeming quality to him. He was nothing more than a rapist and abuser.

Jack's face fell, feeling his lips curl back to reveal his canines. He let out a low, warning growl to the Alpha.

Shocked at his menacing and straightforward reaction, Tom drew back with a frown. "Omega…" There was an edge to his tone as his eyes narrowed.

Jack could feel it.

All the rage that had slowly built up since their first meeting was rolling off him in waves. The Alpha's nose twitched, picking up the hatred Jack was putting off. Now that his heat was on the cusp of ending, Jack was more than able to think clearly for the first time in days, able to overpower his weak, cowering Omegan instincts that told him to forgive the undeserving Alpha.

"Don't you dare," Tom snapped, lips drawing back in a snarl of his own.

Jack lunged for him. The tray of food went flying, scattering the eggs and toast everywhere. He tackled the Alpha who was already on his knees, forcing him back and letting his head thump against the wood floor.

"That's for yesterday!" Jack hollered, pushing away his dizziness and letting his instincts take control as his nails raked down the Alpha's face. Because of his short nails, it didn't do more than cause red lines to flare up on Tom's pale skin. Jack tried to jab his thumbs into the other's eyes only to be violently thrown off, hitting his head against the drawers of his dresser. Jack let out a startled _oof_ as the air was knocked out of him. His vision swam from the added pain of hitting his already injured head.

The Alpha howled in pain and launched himself at Jack, straddling the smaller man's hips. Tom's hands circled around the Omega's throat, giving a testing squeeze. Jack's eyes widened.

"I tried to make it up to you, bitch," Tom hissed, tightening his grip.

Jack's hands flew up to grasp feebly at Tom's hairy arms, trying in vain to get the other to let go. He clawed desperately at the Alpha's arms, letting out little gasps as he fought for air. He couldn't go down like this. He was going to fight tooth and nail to put this bastard Alpha in his place.

With tears forming in his eyes, Jack used all of his strength to roll them over once more, throwing off the much heavier Alpha. Tom landed hard on his back with a grunt of pain before Jack was on top of him. Without thinking of the consequences, Jack leaned down to whisper in Tom's ear, stilling the Alpha for a moment.

"Don't call me a bitch," he murmured almost gently. Flashing his canines with an animalistic grin, Jack bent over and bit hard at Tom's ear, tearing the piece of cartilage from its home on the Alpha's head. Blood spurted from the wound like a water hose turned on full blast, spraying Jack's face and coating him generously in the dark liquid.

If Tom had yelled before than he was absolutely _screeching_ in pain now. There was no way it couldn't hurt. Jack had just torn his fucking ear off with nothing but his teeth.

Jack's pale blue eyes shone with victory before reality set in.

 _Fuck._

The ear fell from his mouth, landing in a puddle of blood with a sickening _squelch._

Tom was rolling around on the darkened wood floor in a puddle of his own blood, howling and clutching the gaping hole on his head. Jack stared at the sight, frozen in place. Had he really just done that? Sure, relying on instincts made some people do crazy things, but _really?_ This was just too much.

"What the fuck," Jack screamed, not sure if it was even out loud or not. One thing was for sure. This was not going to end well for him.

When Tom regained control his expression was absolutely _livid._ There was blood dripping from his wound, pale eyes narrowed and yellowed teeth exposed in a growl. His shoulders rose and fell rapidly, the Alpha taking deep breaths to seemingly calm himself. Though his stance suggested otherwise, as he was in an offensive pose, legs spread and slightly bent at the knee and ready to attack.

"Tom…" Jack started, feeling a heady fear rise up inside him. He tried to force it down, sure the other was already smelling the change of emotion on him. Jack raised his arms, holding them up between the Alpha and him as though it would help protect him.

The Alpha leaped, projecting himself towards Jack, who quickly tried to evade. The two went tumbling to the ground once more, Jack cracking his skull on the hardwood floor, twice as hard as he had done to Tom earlier.

A sharp, stinging pain exploded in his shoulder, which Jack recognized to be teeth.

"Stop!" He yelped in pain, yet the teeth only dug deeper.

Blood poured down the crook of his neck and arm, the warmth an odd comfort as it carved paths of red rivers down his pale, porcelain skin.

He tried to defend himself, smacking and clawing at Tom to get the Alpha off of him. Yet the Alpha held his ground, taking the frail beatings, teeth practically glued to Jack's shoulder. Jack shivered as he felt a hot, sandpaper like tongue lap at the blood around his wound. He cringed, feeling bile rise up in his throat.

The Alpha had him in a complete lock. It was the Alpha hold, where Alphas would bite down on their mate's bond mark to try and tame them. It was something that had fell out of practice recently as more Omega rights activist groups rose up, though some more traditional Alphas still kept to the old ways of wanting to completely overpower their Omegas and render them helpless.

Finally Jack could do nothing but lie there, under the hold of his Alpha. His heart was pounding in his ears, loud and prominent. He was almost positive that he had a concussion now. His vision swam once more, and Jack bit his tongue to keep himself from passing out again. He gripped onto Tom's shoulders, hanging on for dear life and praying the Alpha would release his hold on him soon so he could get the fuck out of there. Jack coughed, almost choking on rising vomit as he did so.

The Alpha sat up slightly, grinning triumphantly with red dripping from his lips. "Not so tough now, are ya?"

Jack narrowed his eyes, wiggling in place to test the hold on him. Now that the Alpha had stupidly released him to gloat, Jack could try to escape. He bucked up his hips, startling the Alpha momentarily before he kicked up with all the strength he had, effectively throwing Tom backwards.

Tom landed with a crash, knocking into the bookcase as collectibles fell from the shelves. Jack scrambled for the door, almost quick enough, but not quite.

An iron-like grip snatched up his ankle and tripped him, Jack landing hard on his elbows. He tried crawling towards the door, but the Alpha merely pulled him back. Jack slid against the wooden floor, clawing at it desperately. His fingernails flared up with a sharp pain as his already short nails cracked and broke against the grain.

"Stop!" Jack yelped as he was tugged back once again. "Tom, please. Don't do this."

"Don't bother to fuckin' beg, slut. You lost that privilege long ago when ya ripped off my fuckin' ear."

In hindsight, perhaps it hadn't been the best idea to tear off the already angered Alpha's ear, though Jack had only been relying on his instincts at the time. And his instincts told him to _fight._

As the Alpha's claws dug into his ankle, Jack hissed out in pain. Suddenly he was dragged forwards as Tom headed out the door, pausing menacingly at the top of the stairs.

"Wait– Tom. W-what are you doing?" Jack babbled fearfully, eyeing the stairs wearily.

"Shh, it's going to be okay love," Tom said gently, and if Jack's mind was still riddled with heat he could almost have been fooled into thinking everything was going to be okay. Only he knew better. "It's time for beddy-bye."

Jack's ankle twisted in pain as he was lifted up into the air and left dangling by his one leg. He tried kicking Tom with his free leg, which proved much harder than he thought. With a single swing, Jack was released and sent tumbling down the stairs.

He tried to shield his face from injury, yet his whole body felt like it was being continuously punched as he rolled down. When he reached the bottom, Jack's head connected to the laminate with a solid smack.

* * *

When Jack finally came to the first thing he noticed was the darkness.

He briefly and irrationally feared he might have gone blind until he realized it was nighttime. He was currently tucked into bed, which was odd. He figured that with how mad Tom had been the Alpha could have just left Jack at the bottom of the stairs.

His head throbbed painfully, and he felt a hot wetness slide down his cheek. Not blood this time; tears. His belly bubbled with anger, body tingling and stinging all over as fresh bruises formed, livid on his pale skin. "Fuck it," he growled out.

Jack threw off the bed sheets, ignoring how his body screamed in protest of the movement and headed to his desktop. Tom was nowhere to be seen. _All the better._ Quickly he pulled up his flight information and printed it off. Moving as fast and quietly as he could, Jack stuffed two weeks worth of clothes into a single carry-on bag.

Mark may have been pissed during their last Skype call, but he was definitely a much better option than Tom at the moment.

Finishing packing his things, Jack headed to the door. His fingers hesitated on the knob, hand shaking slightly. Reminding himself why he was doing this filled Jack with determination, and he opened the door as silently as possible.

The lights in the hall were out, only increasing Jack's sense of foreboding. The stairs creaked and groaned individually under his weight, the luggage tucked securely in his arms. His heart raced. Tom could be anywhere.

Finally on the ground floor, Jack set his suitcase down and rolled it with him to the back door of his apartment. His home was still, silence assaulting his ears as flashing lights from the muted television cast eerie shadows across the living room.

A snort disrupted the peace, Jack freezing in place. It appeared as though Tom fell asleep on the sofa watching television. There was a large bandage wrapped on the side of his head, illuminated by the flashing colours on the tv.

Jack finally made it to the back door, his heart in his throat, and unlocked it. The _click_ of the lock seemed incredibly loud to him, though he knew it was just because of how quiet everything else was. The snores continued, sending nervous shivers down Jack's spine.

 _Look at me. Sneaking out the back door to my own apartment,_ Jack thought bitterly, though he knew it was best to get out of his current situation than deal with Tom further. He thought about calling the cops, but it would just make a bigger mess than it was worth. He thought about what Tom would do when he woke and found Jack gone. He thought about how he was leaving his home behind like a coward.

 _No._

Jack shook his head to try and rid him of such pointless thoughts. He was doing this for himself, for his safety. He couldn't stay safe if he stayed with that Alpha. Briefly one part of him wondered what Tom did about his ear, sure it was bandaged but did he go to the hospital for that? The other part of him just didn't care. _He can rot in hell for what he did to me._

Firmly shutting the screen door behind him, Jack tugged his carry-on along and headed out into the night.


	5. Chapter 5: And He Told Me I was Holy

**Chapter 5: And He Told Me I was Holy**

By the time his taxi cab pulled up at Mark's place, Jack was having second thoughts about the whole thing.

Was it really okay to abandon his home as he just had? There was a lot of expensive shit he left behind. And he definitely couldn't trust Tom with anything of his possessions in his apartment.

 _It doesn't matter,_ Jack decided firmly. Those were all material objects. Easily replaceable. Jack, however, was not. His safety was much more important than his monitors or televisions. He just hoped Tom would leave his collectibles and gifts from fans alone.

The flight over had been extremely long and exhausting. His first flight landed in NYC, which then connected to Denver, which finally connected to LA. He barely got any sleep on any of the plane rides, though he desperately wanted to. Jack just couldn't find it in him to relax. He felt unreasonably paranoid, as though Tom were still watching him. While there was no way that could happen, the irrational fear still lingered.

That, and the fact that he spent half the trip dry heaving. As soon as Jack got to the airport, he immediately headed to the bathroom to empty the contents of his stomach. While he couldn't remember the last time he had properly eaten, with the blacking out and all, there was still quite a bit to vomit up.

 _I need to go to a hospital,_ Jack had realized with a sigh. The heaving was from more than just an upset stomach; it was a symptom of a concussion. _Get to Mark first,_ his mind told him. Jack wasn't sure if it was his Omegan part of him wanting to seek safety in his trusted Alpha friend or something else, but Jack figured it the best course of action. Get to Mark, then get to a hospital.

He had then staggered to the sink to wipe his face, only to be startled by what he saw in the mirror. He had wondered why the people he passed in the airport had given him such worried and sympathetic looks. Even the cab driver had looked at him strangely.

The entire left side of his face was covered in bruises, livid blue and purple so incredibly noticeable against his ivory skin.

He reached a tentative hand up to his skin, dragging it down his face in disbelief and exasperation. How the hell was he supposed to record videos now? He had been planning on doing some collabs with Mark when he finally got in the area, but it seemed as though that plan was out the window for now. Sure, he had recorded some videos in advance and had stockpiled some to automatically publish, but it would be a while before he could record new content.

 _Damn that bastard,_ Jack snarled angrily at the mere thought of Tom. This was all that knothead's fault. If only Jack had made it home when his premature heat started...

 _No._

There was no point in lingering on the past.

Steeling himself in the present, Jack mustered up the courage to finally knock on the door of Mark's house. There was the distinct sound of someone fumbling around on the other side, a muffled " _Just a minute!"_ , and the tapping of approaching footsteps before the large wooden door finally cracked open. Mark, in all his early morning glory, boxers and oversized t-shirt and all, stood baffled before him.

"Jack?" the Alpha voiced cautiously, as though unsure if Jack was really there or not.

"Hi, Markimoo," Jack greeted awkwardly. What else was he supposed to say to the man whose doorstep he just showed up on out of the blue? "Well, are ya gonna let me in?" he prompted as the other stood there still as a statue.

"Oh!" Mark gasped. "Sorry, yeah. Come on in."

Jack tugged his carry on in as he stepped into the home, catching a whiff of nervous surprise and happiness off the Alpha. He tried to ignore the eyes glued to the side of his face, favoring instead to focus on the large dog bounding towards him.

"Chica, no!" Mark scolded as the large golden retriever jumped up on the Irishman, attempting to lick his face. "Down!"

"It's okay," Jack chuckled, lowering the pup to the ground. "She's just excited."

"Alright…"

The two stood there in an awkward silence, only broken by Chica's ragged, excited panting and the smack of her huge tail against Jack's leg.

"So, uh, not to be rude or anything," Mark said quickly, eyes darting from Chica to Jack, "but what the _fuck_ are you doing here?"

Jack snorted. He should have expected as much from his Alpha friend. "What, I can't stop by and visit ya every now and then?"

Mark's chocolate eyes narrowed marginally in suspicion. "Now when that friend is over two thousand miles away."

"Alright," Jack relented with a sigh, putting his hands up in mock surrender. "Ya got me."

"What is it? What happened?" he asked seriously, gesturing to the bruises on the Omega's face.

Jack tightened his grip on his bag nervously. Mark's eyes followed the movement, before the Alpha sighed. "You don't have to tell me now. I don't want to pressure you or anything. I just hope you can trust me and tell me what's wrong later on." With another heavy sigh, Mark ran his large hand through his bright red hair and headed further into the house. "You can take the guest room."

Jack nodded, though he knew the motion had been lost on the other as the Alpha was already heading down the hall. Jack followed, suitcase rolling on the hardwood floor behind him.

Ryan and Matt popped their heads out from the kitchen, each wearing matching looks of surprise and confusion. Their expressions said what Mark already had. So instead of asking the obvious, they shrugged and went about their morning routines.

"Want a cup of coffee?" Ryan, the thoughtful Alpha he was, asked.

Jack smiled warmly. "Yes, please."

The bearded man returned the smile. "Go on and put your stuff up. I'll make you a cup."

Jack nodded and continued to follow Mark down the hall to the first door on the left, a large, unused room with a single bed and dresser. "Make yourself at home," Mark said awkwardly and Jack scoffed.

"Do ya ever decorate 'round here? This place looks as clean and white as a hospital," Jack laughed, but as soon as he said the word hospital, something clicked in his mind. _Oh shit. Yeah._

"Uhh, Mark? Where's the nearest hospital?"

Mark gave him a strange look. "It's about fifteen minutes away. Why?"

"Well," Jack paused, choosing his next words carefully. "I may or may not have a concussion, and–"

"What!" Mark snapped, the Alpha raising his voice and causing Jack to flinch. "What the fuck happened, Jack?"

The Omega let out a whimper, instinctually shifting to make himself look smaller and less threatening for the Alpha in the room. Mark, realizing the effect he had on the Omega, backed off immediately.

"Shit. I'm sorry Jack," he said, voice filled with worry. "But _please._ I need to know what happened. I care about you, so, _so_ much." His chocolate orbs were filled with honestly, and Jack felt himself take in a sharp breath. "You are so very important to me, Jack."

Jack felt his heartbeat pick up, and opened his mouth to reply, shutting it again as Ryan and Matt entered the room.

"What's wrong?" The other Alpha asked anxiously. "We heard yelling."

"Uh, I might have accidentally fallen down some stairs back home," Jack mumbled, voice trailing off nervously.

"Fucking hell," Matt murmured. "Are you okay?"

"He might have a concussion," Mark answered the Beta with a huff.

"Then what are we doing wasting time standing around here?" Ryan growled, eager to get the Omega in proper care. "Let's get to the hospital."

* * *

The drive to the hospital had gone relatively smoothly, with Ryan driving, Matt calling shotgun, with Mark and Jack piling in the back for the ride. "I'm here for mutual support," Matt had said with a small smile. Mark stayed quiet, giving Jack brief, worry-filled glances every now and then.

Ryan focused on the road, which left Matt to bring up things to talk about. "How was the flight? How long was it? Did they serve food? How's your new mate?" Jack and Mark had both flinched on the last question.

Jack bullshitted his answers, not really interested in a conversation at the moment. His vision was swimming, ears filled with a horrible ringing, and Jack swallowed shakily to keep from throwing up again. He busied himself with gnawing on his lower lip anxiously.

Matt, finally catching on to the fact that Jack would rather travel in silence, turned back to the front and switched on the radio, keeping the volume low. Jack sighed out, watching the unfamiliar city pass through the window and focusing on holding down his vomit. A large hand wrapped around his, and with a start Jack realized that Mark was _holding his hand._

"Is this okay?" Mark's voice was practically a whisper as he looked to Jack for affirmation.

His heartbeat picked up in his chest, and Jack nodded slowly to keep from jarring his head too much. Mark gave him a sympathetic smile as he stroked the back of Jack's hand with his thumb, and Jack returned the smile after a moment. His eyes caught Ryan's through the rearview mirror, and the other Alpha gave him a knowing smirk.

"Shuddup," Jack grumbled, using his free hand to cover his face, embarrassed. Mark laughed and gave his hand a tentative squeeze for reassurance.

When they finally reached the hospital, Jack was amazed by how busy everything was. Ireland's A&E's weren't nearly this packed. People were scurrying to and fro, each wearing similar expressions of worry. They moved with a sense of urgency, and Jack felt bad for complaining about a headache when these other people had legitimate ails.

They walked up to the front desk, the woman in pale green scrubs giving them a quick once over, sniffing briefly. She singled Jack out with her index finger. "Concussion?"

Jack blinked in disbelief. "How did you know?"

The woman shrugged. "You weren't walking straight when you came up to the counter. Your face is bruised. There are trace amounts of vomit in your beard as well as crusted blood in your nostrils."

Jack's hand immediately went to the scruff on his chin, feeling though the short hairs. He thought he had gotten everything off when he cleaned himself up at Mark's (after throwing up yet again). Mark, Ryan, and Matt shot him looks of concern.

"We'll get you in right away," the woman continued, grabbing some paper for them to fill out.

When they sat down in some open waiting room chairs, Jack flipped through the seemingly endless amounts of paperwork. "How the fuck am I supposed to fill all this out?"

Mark gave him a worried smile. "Ireland's a bit different, huh?"

Jack snorted. "No kiddin'. This is insane."

He did his best to focus and fill out all the blank lines, though his pounding headache wasn't making the process any easier. Eventually Mark took the clipboard and pen, telling Jack, "Let me."

Jack was about to protest, to argue that he could finish the documents himself, but it was easier just to let the Alpha take care of things. With a tired sigh, Jack leaned up against Mark, resting his head on the other's shoulder. Mark smiled down at the Omega, pressing a gentle kiss to his temple.

Jack blushed, ducking his nose downward as Matt laughed at the display. "Septiplier fans would be going nuts right about now," he said with a chuckle to lighten the mood.

The four sat in mutual silence, a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the rest of the waiting room. Finally a nurse appeared in front of them, taking the clipboard and telling Jack to follow her. He stood up shakily, almost losing his balance until Mark shot up and helped steady him.

One CT scan later, the doctors confirmed that Jack did indeed have a mild concussion.

Thankfully, his nose was only fractured and needed minor realignment. The nurse told Jack that while there was no cure for concussions, there were certain things he could do to reduce the symptoms. She prescribed him medication for his headache, and even some anti-nausea medicine to help settle his upset stomach. She told him to rest first and foremost, and restrict physical activities to allow his brain to recover.

"I guess you'll be here for a while," Ryan said, and Jack almost smiled at the thought alone.

He would have to borrow Mark's recording space, that, or they would just do a lot of collabs, but it was a much better option than going home.

Mark's hand slipped into his again as they left the hospital, giving Jack a supportive squeeze. Jack squeezed back, and it turned into a game of squeezes varying in hardness which had the two laughing and Ryan and Matt shaking their heads.

"Children," Ryan said with a chuckle.

"Children," Matt agreed with a nod.

As they reached the car and climbed in, Jack thought that this could turn out fairly well for him. He would stay with Mark until his brain healed a bit more, and maybe try and make a move or two in the meantime. Mark seemed to be sending out some positive signals, but of course Jack could just be misreading the situation. The Alpha might just be concerned that his Omega friend was injured. Jack hoped there was more to it.

Mark's hand joined his yet again from across the leather seats and Jack had an inkling that the feelings were mutual.


	6. Chapter 6: Vigorous and Angry

**Chapter 6: Vigorous and Angry**

Jack tossed and turned in the guest bed, deeply unsettled.

His heart was pounding with nerves, unrelenting, legs twitching and bouncing uncomfortably. He could feel that his heat had ended, but he knew with a scarlet face that Mark and the others could probably smell the fading spice of it lingering on his skin.

Now that his mind and body were back under control, Jack could finally think properly.

And he had a _lot_ of talking to do with Mark.

He wanted to know why the Alpha had been so angry during their last Skype call, which had been rudely interrupted by Tom. Mark had practically been seething in rage, and just the thought of Mark's countenance twisted in a frown made Jack whine. Whatever he had done to upset his friend, Jack needed to apologize. Perhaps it was just his biology speaking, but Jack felt the absolute _need_ to appease the Alpha he had somehow angered.

Jack also needed to get to the nearest drug store and purchase some cosmetics. The bruises on his face were still way too noticeable for his liking, and Jack would rather not concern his entire fanbase. He had exactly six videos queued to upload from earlier, but when those ran out, Jack would need to record new ones. And he definitely couldn't do that looking as he did now.

He rolled over again, laying on his side and facing the window, the outdoors still very much dark. Mark filtered through his thoughts yet again, and Jack bit his lip. Mark had been just plain confusing as of late. The two had always had a rather close relationship, but the hand holding was something new. Sure, they had hugged in the past and the fans had gotten a rise out of it, but that was about as far as their physical affections had gotten. The newfound skinship was different. Different, but definitely not in a bad or unwanted way.

It was a gentle kind of touch that Jack's body craved. The kind of touch like how an Alpha would treat their mate...

As light began filtering through the transparent white curtains, Jack sighed out.

He needed rest to heal up properly, but he had been up all night, lost in thought. He knew it was bad for him, but the Omega just couldn't help it.

He sat up, rubbing his eyes, and headed towards the shower across the hall. Stripping in the bathroom, Jack inhaled sharply upon gazing at his body's naked reflection in the mirror. He was still incredibly sore from his fight with Tom, and his body showed evidence of that. His pale torso was littered with bruises of varying size and darkness. The juncture of his neck which held his bond mark was dark, and he ran a shaking hand over the inflamed skin. The edges of the bite mark were raised, red and puffy, portions of it scabbed over already.

Jack sighed again.

This mark on his body was a claiming one. And looking at his marred body in the mirror, that's the only word Jack could use to describe himself. _Claimed._ He looked owned, covered in bruises and bite marks. He shifted from foot to foot, frowning and irritatedly rubbing the bond mark with a bit more pressure.

Despite knowing what Tom did to him, Jack still felt a slight connection to his forced mate due to the bond. He wondered what the other was doing, if he were out looking for Jack or if he had given up on him already. Jack couldn't help the whine that escaped his throat, high and needy. Logically, he knew Tom was a bad man. But his body told him otherwise. It still craved the Alpha's touch, and Jack had never been more relieved for his heat to have ended, otherwise the needy feeling would have only been increased.

Turning on the tap, Jack let the water run, adjusting the temperature before stepping in. He scrubbed his hands through his vivid green hair, sighing at the sensation of warm water pelting his naked body. The soaps in the shower smelt nice and comforting, and Jack realized with a start that this was how Mark smelt. Part of him was giddy to be wearing the other Alpha's scent, even if it was just from the types of soap he used.

After his shower, Jack grabbed a towel to dry off, wrapping it around his slim waist. He looked at his expression in the mirror again, his upper body exposed and littered with bruises, and quickly turned away. He didn't like to see the evidence of what Tom did to him. He would hate to see anyone look at him in this state.

Unlocking the door and stepping into the hall, Jack ran smack into the last person he'd want to see him like this. Mark. The Alpha startled, not expecting Jack to exit as quick as he had. Mark opened his mouth to say something, a greeting or good morning perhaps, but quickly closed it again, eyes raking over Jack's half naked form.

Jack's heart stopped.

His hand immediately flew to his shoulder, trying in vain to cover his bond mark, blushing wildly. But it was too late, Mark had already seen him, had seen the reddened newness of the bite mark on his shoulder, had seen the dark bruises marring his otherwise pale body. Jack dashed across the hall, one hand covering his shoulder and the other a steel grip at the towel at his waist.

"'Scuse me," he mumbled to Mark, rushing into the guest bedroom designated as his and slamming the door shut.

He leaned against the door, heart pounding erratically in his chest now, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He listened with bated breath, pressing his ear against the wooden door, trying to pick up sounds out in the hallway. It was quiet, probably Mark standing there, confused. Then he heard the shuffle of the Alpha's slippers on the hardwood floor, heading away, further down the hall.

He let out a brief sigh of relief, though Jack knew he was still in hot water. There was no way Mark _wouldn't_ ask about the bruises. Jack raked a hand through his still dripping hair, making a low, frustrated noise.

"Wonderful," he snarked to the empty room.

Trying to shrug off the awkward encounter and failing miserably, Jack dropped the towel and threw on some fresh clothes. They were wrinkled, all of his clothes were since he had packed in a hurry. Knowing now that he would be staying here for a while, Jack took his time to refold all his clothes, sticking them in the empty dresser drawers. He spent longer than he needed to making the bed as well, attempting to avoid Mark for as long as possible.

He sat on the bed for a long while, trying to calm his racing heart and organize his thoughts before he was finally ready to head out and greet the other members of the household. Matt was making a cup of coffee, giving Jack a small, tired smile as he greeted him. Jack returned the greeting, shoulders relaxing slightly. He could do this. Ryan was on the floor, roughhousing with Chica. The pup wagged her tail, excited to have a playmate. Jack smiled at the display. Mark was nowhere to be found.

"Where's Mark?" he asked, mentally slapping himself for how strained his voice sounded.

Matt shrugged with indifference. "He went to the store or something."

Jack nodded slowly, taking a deep breath to calm himself. Without Mark's overwhelming presence, he could get through the morning with no problem. He couldn't help feeling disappointed. He would much rather get through the necessary conversation with Mark sooner rather than later, so his Omegan side wouldn't stress about it.

 _Oh well,_ Jack sighed. _I'll just wait till he gets back._

* * *

He was in the middle of a very intense _Mario Kart_ game with Ryan and Matt when Mark finally arrived home.

Jack perked up, almost excited by the fact that the Alpha was back. Then he remembered the awkward encounter earlier that morning, and groaned.

"What's wrong, Jack?" Ryan questioned worriedly. "Does your head hurt or something?"

"Somethin' like that, yeah," Jack mumbled.

Mark looked at him from the entrance, a concerned expression painted across his face. He cleared his throat. Jack stiffened. "Hey, uh, Jack?"

"What?" he asked quickly. He already knew what Mark wanted. It was time to get it over with.

"Can we talk?"

Jack rolled his eyes. _Smooth, Mark. Smooth._ "Of course," he replied instead, pausing the game and getting up from his position on the floor. He couldn't help the little gasp of pain that escaped his lips. The three other men looked to him immediately.

"Need a hand?" Matt asked.

Jack waved off their concerns. He was just feeling stiff from sitting on the floor for so long, and needed to get up and stretch. "I'm fine."

The others didn't look completely satisfied with his answer, but they accepted it regardless. Mark led him down the hall, taking a left and entering the guest bedroom. Jack followed closely behind, letting Mark close the door as they settled down on the bed. Mark had a CVS Pharmacy bag in his hand, and Jack eyed it curiously.

Dumping the contents of the bad onto the bed, Mark finally spoke. "I went and bought you some concealer. I figured you'd want it." He sounded almost embarrassed, and Jack chuckled.

He rifled through the makeup, a little impressed and more than a little thankful for the Alpha doing this for him. Saved him a trip to the store, that's for sure. "Thanks, Mark," he said with a small smile. "That's really nice of ya."

Mark ducked his head down sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head with his hand. "I kinda guessed your skin tone, hope you don't mind."

Jack rolled the bottle over in his hands, and nodded approvingly. It seemed as though Mark had hit the nail on the head with that one. It was practically the same one he used back home, when he felt like dolling himself up, which never happened too often. He couldn't keep the small smile from creeping across his cheeks. "Thank you," he murmured again, genuinely grateful. What did he do to deserve such a great friend like Mark?

Mark seemed to brighten up at the approval, lighting up like a bulb at Christmas. Jack could only grin at the other. His Alpha friend was just too cute sometimes. Eventually the expression on Mark's face sobered up, and Jack felt with rising apprehension as the mood shifted yet again to a more somber tone.

"What happened, Seán?"

Jack flinched, both from the quiet seriousness of the other's voice and the use of his real name. His tongue felt heavy as lead in his mouth, and he repeatedly opened and closed his mouth, struggling for an answer.

Mark turned to him again with such a distraught expression that Jack's breath caught in his throat. "What did he do to you?"

Jack's heart was pounding in his chest. He was almost positive that Mark could hear it too. His bottom lip quivered slightly, both scared and anxious to tell Mark the truth. A slightly larger, warm hand was placed over his own, and Jack looked down to where Mark was holding his hand in a firm, but supportive gesture.

"Please, Jack," Mark murmured, the words barely registering in Jack's mind. "What happened?"

His breathing was coming in uneven gasps. "I told you," his voice cracked. "I fell down the stairs."

Mark nodded, brown eyes determined. It was clear that Jack's answer hadn't deterred him in the slightest. "Yes, but how?"

Jack's mouth was moving before he could stop it. "He dropped me."

"Dropped you?" Mark repeated, eyes narrowing in concern.

Jack simply nodded in affirmation. "He held me up, and dropped me."

His vision changed abruptly as Jack was drawn into a hug by the Alpha. His face was pressed against the other's neck, and Jack closed his eyes to inhale the calming scent of his friend. Mark gave of a rich, earthy smell that Jack absolutely loved. He tucked his nose in deeper, pressing firmly against Mark's scent glands to get at the smell better. He didn't even realize he was crying till little dark spots appeared on Mark's shirt under him. Mark lifted his hand to stroke the back of Jack's head in a soothing motion, tangling gently in his green locks.

"Shh," Mark hushed him softly, and Jack bit his lip again.

It was too easy to give in to his emotions and be comforted by the Alpha, but he knew he had to stay strong. His tears gradually slowed, and when Jack tried to sit up slightly Mark loosened his grip easily. The Alpha was proving to him that the embrace was not confining in the least. Jack could get out of it if he wanted to. The effort that Mark was making for him made his heart swell.

"Jack, I have to ask," Mark said slowly, this time looking away to the side.

Jack frowned. What did he have to ask that would make Mark avert his eyes as he had?

"Was the bond forced?" _Was it rape?_

He consciously felt as his breathing became unsteady once more, and Mark was there immediately to hold his hand and stroke his palm with his thumb. He didn't tear up again, too dehydrated to form tears at the moment.

Jack could only nod numbly in response.

"The police?" Mark questioned, voice hardening.

Jack shook his head. There was too much going on for him to reply vocally.

"Why not?"

Jack merely shook his head again.

Mark sighed, and for an irrational second Jack worried that the Alpha was upset with him, but as Mark tightened his grip on Jack protectively Jack knew that that was far from the truth. If anything, Mark was upset _for_ him.

It seemed like an eternity, the two sitting on the bed with their knees touching as Mark held onto Jack for support. His breathing gradually slowed once more, face drying uncomfortably from the earlier tears. He briefly entertained the thought of getting up to wash his face, but Jack felt boneless in Mark's grip. He probably couldn't even get up if he wanted to. Jack nosed the Alpha's neck again, scenting his friend deeply and shutting his eyes with a hum.

His eyes snapped open as he felt Mark's nose press up against his throat as the Alpha scented him in return.

It was something of a taboo, scenting an already mated and bonded Omega, but to Jack it spoke great lengths of the other and his intentions. Mark was still there for him, despite having been forcibly bonded to someone he didn't even know. He wasn't disgusted with him. He wasn't disappointed in him. He was still there, ready and willing to help Jack in any way he could.

Jack's eyelids drooped shut once more and he let out a pleased sigh as Mark's nose explored his neck, Jack tilting his head to the side to give the Alpha better access. There was still much to discuss, but for the moment, he was content to be in Mark's embrace, scenting lazily with the Alpha.


	7. Chapter 7: Watch Me Drown

A/N: Hello all, happy new year! I've noticed that I've been lacking explanation of Omegaverse, and there are readers who are new to the concept. This chapter should help with that, as it delves into some of the social cues between the dynamics. This chappie should also help with the pacing a bit, as things were going rather fast.

In any case, please enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Watch Me Drown**

By the time Jack and Mark had finished scenting, Jack was practically a pile of goo. The way he had stumbled to his feet make Mark chuckle good-naturedly while Jack blushed profusely. They headed back out to meet the rest of the household, and Jack felt the rising heat to his ears again as Matt and Ryan gave them knowing looks. The tv was now playing some game show, and Jack opened his mouth to question it.

"We switched it over from _Mario Kart,"_ Ryan spoke up, sensing the Omega's confusion.

"Yeah, since you were taking so damn long," Matt scoffed, but his sly grin showed he meant no harm.

Jack rolled his eyes, fighting off his own embarrassment at the Beta's implications. Mark clapped him on the shoulder then, asking Jack what he wanted for lunch. Surprised, Jack glanced to the clock. Somehow, their whole morning was already gone. Had they really been scenting for _that_ long?

Mark got to work in the kitchen immediately, insisting that Jack take his headache medicine and sit down for a bit. The Omega wanted to protest, but when a sharp pain shot through his body from his still-present concussion, Jack begrudgingly agreed. He popped his pills and then made for the couch to join Matt and Ryan, settling himself in the middle and pulling up his legs to sit criss-cross on the sofa. He stared at the screen in front of him, not really focusing on it as the sound of sizzling food sounded from the kitchen behind.

He fought to keep the grin from his face, realizing what Mark was doing. The Alpha was going into full-caretaker mode, insisting Jack take his medicine on time and making food for him and everything. It was part of an Apha's natural instinct to take care of and protect their Omega, but even with Jack having a different mate, Mark's instincts seemed inclined to override that. It was touching, and it made Jack's heart tighten yet again, wishing that he could have had Mark as his Alpha instead.

The thought was selfish and impractical, he realized.

Even with his own bond being forced, he could still feel the connection to Tom. It wasn't very strong, appearing to have weakened significantly over the distance and due to him being post-heat, but it was still very much present. Just in a much more weakened form, otherwise Jack wouldn't have even been able to scent with Mark earlier. The fact that he had accepted a 'foreign' Alpha, in other words, one who was not his mate, meant that the bond wasn't strong enough to prevent him from interacting with other Alphas as it might once have.

Which was, essentially, the entire point of bonds. Sure, it was great to understand one's mate on a deeper level and sense their feelings and emotions without being told so, but the purpose of the bond was a more primal one. It was to keep mates loyal to each other, paired off in order to boost population. Obviously, the human race was nowhere near in threat of being endangered, but that wasn't quite the point. Bonds also kept unmated Alphas and Omegas from interfering too much with an already mated pair. It was considered rude to intervene too much as it implied that someone wasn't properly taking care of their mate, and therefore would need assistance from outside help. A proper bond would instinctively have Alphas would care for their Omegas, and vice versa. The Alphas would cater to their mate's needs, and when the time came for the Omega to go into heat, the Alphas would help them through that as well. It lessened the pain of emptiness for the Omega, and with boosted fertility rates during that period, the chances of the Omega getting pregnant significantly increased, ergo the means of the population boost function of it.

A wave of alarm shot through Jack at that thought. Ryan turned to him questioningly, obviously scenting the change of emotion in the air that Jack was putting off. Matt continued to watch the tv unknowingly, since as a Beta, he was unable to scent such things as Alphas and Omegas could.

"You okay?" Ryan questioned after a beat of hesitation, drawing everyone's attention, even Mark's from the kitchen.

"Fine," Jack choked out, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "Just, uh. Thought of something."

Ryan didn't seem placated by the answer, but it wasn't his place to intervene. While unmated Alphas could still interact and be friendly with mated Omegas, they could sense that the Omega was bonded, and therefore kept some means of a distance. It was a way of respecting boundaries, and Jack was only thankful for it as it kept Ryan from pressing the matter further.

Mark, curiously, did not seem to care for the boundary as Ryan did. "Everything okay? Do you need anything?" he asked, walking up behind them and causing Jack to turn to face the insistent Alpha.

"Yeah, um. I just thought of something I need to get at the store later," Jack said, purposely not meeting the Alpha's eyes.

There was an uncomfortable moment of silence between them all. Ryan was looking at Mark with narrowed eyes, obviously noticing the Alpha overpassing his bounds. Mark was looking straight at Jack, ignoring the blatant disapproval from Ryan. Jack was looking pointedly at the floor, unable to meet Mark's eyes. And then there was Matt, the poor Beta glancing between them all with confusion, not able to catch the scent cues in the air.

Finally, Mark seemed to catch onto the tension. "I'm sorry," he said, as way of apologizing for stepping too far into the mated Omega's problems. That seemed to appease Ryan, who turned back to the tv with a huff. "I can take you to the store later, if you want."

Jack found himself nodding. "Sure, yeah. That'd be great."

And then Mark returned to the kitchen, Jack heaving a sigh of relief as he did so.

Ryan leaned over to Jack then, whispering so the other Alpha wouldn't hear. "I know you two are friends and all, but if Mark is overstepping his bounds then I can talk to him, if you want."

"No!" Jack said quickly, clamping a hand over his mouth at the volume. Both shot a look to Mark, who was dutifully at the stove, flipping what appeared to be a sandwich. "It's okay, really," he whispered back.

Ryan raised a brow. "Just let me know if he becomes too much to handle. Mark isn't very good with social cues." He then sat back against the sofa, retreating from Jack's personal space.

Jack gave him a tight-lipped smile. "Thanks, Ryan. I appreciate it."

Ryan merely nodded, turning his attention back to the show.

"What the hell was that all about," Matt questioned, his own voice lowered in a whisper, as he leaned in from Jack's left.

Part of Jack felt bad for the Beta. Despite Betas being a large percentage of the population, around the upper ranges of 70%, there were certain attributes specific to Alphas and Omegas that the Betas just didn't have. Their sense of smell was much weaker, and they couldn't pick up on scents the way an Alpha or Omega could. Usually, it never really mattered, since they could pick up emotions clearly from a person's facial expression, regardless of the scent they were putting out.

A Beta's own scent, however, was something rather dull, to an Omega or Alpha, anyways. Whereas an Omega's scent was calming yet sharp, particularly inviting while in heat, and an Alpha's being strong and forceful, a Beta's smell was… dull. Neutral. Their scents, while not _bad_ necessarily _,_ weren't that appealing to an Alpha or Omega. Since Betas typically didn't mate outside their own gender, this was never a problem to them as they didn't have to try and entice their mate as Omegas often did.

And for Matt, it must be really confusing to the minority in a group such as this. Since he couldn't pick up on Jack's distressed scent as Ryan could, he had practically been ejected from the conversation from the start.

"Scent cues," Jack replied in a whisper, feeling another pang of remorse when the Beta's frown deepened.

The Beta shook his head, leaning back against the chair. "I'll never understand your crazy scent cues, and I don't think I want to," Matt said with a chuckle, but the way his eyebrow twitched showed his true discomfort.

Jack suppressed a rising whine. He didn't want to leave the Beta out, or act as though Matt was missing out on something important for presenting as a Beta. After all, being a Beta was considered normal. If anything, Jack and the others should be feeling conscious of their dynamic, being part of the population minority. But rather than feeling so, Jack just felt sympathetic. He wasn't sure if it was his instinct as Omega that made him so aware of others, feeling the need to care and tend to those around him or if it was just Jack himself being concerned for his friend, but either way he just felt _bad._

Ryan patted him on his shoulder reassuringly, and Jack turned to his right with a start. "Don't feel too bad, Jack. That's just the way it is."

Reluctant as he was to admit it, Ryan was right. There was no sense in fretting over excluding Matt for some of their dynamic cues. Some things were just hard to explain to Betas, such as describing how they depicted a scent to associate it with an emotion. That wasn't something they thought about, really. It just _happened._

Jack gave him a small smile, reigning back in his own scent of _worry_ to pacify the Alpha. Ryan was a kind and attentive Alpha, picking up on Jack's exact train of thought through the Omega's scent. "Thanks, Ryan."

Ryan nodded again just as Mark announced the food being ready. The three eagerly got up from the couch and rushed to the kitchen, seating themselves at the table hungrily. Mark chuckled, setting down plates of grilled cheese and bowls of tomato soup. Jack rolled his eyes, fondly thinking to himself _how American_ before digging in.

Matt moaned as he bit into his own grilled cheese. "Damn Mark. Why don't you cook for us more often?"

"He's just doing it for Jack," Ryan explained through a mouthful food. "Don't get used to it."

Matt laughed loudly at that and Jack chuckled to himself as he watched Mark's face redden slightly. He had picked up exactly what the Alpha was trying to do, and Jack found himself touched, not offended. Mark was acting how an Alpha would towards their mate, and despite the two not having that kind of relationship, it helped to relax Jack as he let himself be taken care of. Tom wasn't the type of Alpha to do such things.

Jack rubbed his free hand over his shoulder thoughtfully, stroking at his bond mark idly as he thought of Tom. He didn't miss the way Mark's eyes locked onto the movement, or the way Ryan's eyes narrowed at Mark slightly. He forced back a sigh.

While Ryan had good intentions, the Alpha did seem to be rather traditional. His actions and attitudes as of late proved as much to Jack. Unmated Alphas normally didn't interfere with the affairs of a mated Omega, as Mark had so obviously been doing. Ryan, an unmated Alpha himself, most likely felt inclined to remind Mark of his position to give Jack some space. Jack was, in Ryan's eyes, a mated and bonded Omega. A friend, perhaps, but someone who was not labeled as someone needing constant attention as one mate would towards their own. Even if Mark was Jack's friend, the way he was compensating to over provide for the Omega did raise some questions.

Sure, Mark scenting with him had defined his resolve to stay at the Omega's side, but providing food and assistance as such was crossing the border of 'concerned friend' territory into 'concerned _mate'_ territory.

Jack would need to have another talk with him, later.

After lunch, Mark told them that he had some recording to do. He seemed reluctant to leave Jack alone, if his constant hovering of the Omega was anything to go by. One sour look from Ryan seemed to have something click for Mark, who blushed brightly when he realized his actions. Jack had merely smiled, and promised the Alpha if he needed anything, then Jack would come get him. This seemed to settle the hovering Alpha, if only slightly, who then retreated to his recording space to get some work done.

Ryan got up as well, offering the two a brief explanation of, "I've got some work to take care of," before he was heading off towards the hall.

That left Jack alone with Matt, who knew what he needed to do next.

Despite assuring Mark to come to him if he needed anything, Jack was a little more than reluctant to approach the Alpha for something of this nature. Actually, it was something that he'd rather avoid telling either Alpha of the house. With Matt being the only other option, Jack felt inclined to go to him. He just hoped the Beta wouldn't be as loud as he thought he might.

In any case, Matt would have to do.

"Hey, uh, Matt?" Jack started, cringing when his voice cracked slightly. At least with the other as a Beta, he wouldn't be able to smell the nervousness emitting from Jack.

"Yeah?" he replied, voice bright, not catching onto how much trouble Jack was in with his current predicament.

"Can you take me to the store?" he asked, quickly continuing with, "I don't want to bother Mark. He has a lot of recording to catch up on with me being here, and all."

"Oh, sure," Matt said with a shrug of indifference.

Jack heaved a sigh of relief. The two headed out to the garage, Matt and Jack buckling themselves into the car before Matt sped off down the road. Just when Jack thought he was in the clear, Matt spoke.

"What do you need to buy, anyways?"

Jack felt his heartbeat pick up, though he knew he had to get over it. There was no way he was going to lie to his friend. "A… um. A pregnancy test."

Matt, clearly not catching onto Jack's hesitance as he focused on the road, voiced loudly, "Oh, congratulations! I suppose that that's a little premature since we don't know for sure yet, huh? But that's great news! I know you just got your Alpha recently, right? He sure works quick…"

Jack stared out the window listlessly, tuning out the Beta's blabber. In any other instance, this would be great news. But since Tom was his mate through a forced bond, Jack found himself being very nervous about even the idea of him being pregnant. _He didn't use condoms at all,_ Jack reminded himself with a frown, breath hitching slightly. He hadn't been on his suppressants at the time, having forced to be off them for his doctor, which functioned as both a heat suppressant and a form of birth control. Omegas became more fertile during their heats. And without Tom using protection…

He tightened his hands into fists, trying to focus on controlling his breathing. After what seemed like an eternity but in reality was probably only a few minutes, Matt and Jack arrived at the convenience store. Matt slipped the Omega some American cash, and Jack told the other he would be right back, to just wait in the car. The Beta agreed, to Jack's relief. This was something he needed to get done on his own.

Alone in the store, Jack halted at the entrance. It was just a simple convenience store, only a dozen or so people milling about, but he felt frozen in place. His mind was racing with thoughts and possibilities that the test might bring and Jack found his breathing picking up again, hands shaking slightly at his sides. One fist crumpled the twenty Matt had given him.

Just then a sweet scent flooded his senses, and Jack turned to see one of the female workers approach him. He scented the air again. Omega.

"Can I help you?" she asked, and the calming vanilla scent she gave off was enough for Jack to settle his breathing again.

He considered waving her off, but figured as an Omega herself, she could understand where he was coming from. Might as well get some help while she was there. "Can you tell me where the, uh, pregnancy tests are?"

Jack tried not to feel disappointed as her face positively lit up. "Of course! Right this way."

She talked on the way there, and Jack fought the urge to snap at her to _shut the fuck up_. Pregnancies were usually something exciting, obviously, the prospect of creating life something worth congratulating. But not for Jack. He wasn't sure what he would do if the test turned out positive. He had thought that the Omegan worker could pick up the sour trace in his scent, but she seemed annoyingly oblivious.

"You're so lucky. I can't wait to get my own Alpha," the worked sighed dreamily. She was still young, and Jack probably only had a few years or so on her. "I can smell your Alpha on you. He seems nice." And Jack knew she was talking about _Mark,_ who he had been scenting with earlier that morning, and shifted uncomfortably. He couldn't wait to just buy the damn test and get the fuck out of there. The conversation was getting to be too much to handle.

Finally they got to the right aisle, and the woman gestured to the wide array of tests. Some were specific to Beta females, others to Omegas in general, and a few specific to Omega males. The worker picked up one for male Omegas, showing it off to Jack. "I recommend this one. It should do the trick."

Jack snatched it out of her hands, turning his heel and leaving quickly. He tried to ignore her call of, "Good luck!" as he sped away from her and her unknowing cheer, away from the aisle of pregnancy tests, away from everything that seemed to be bearing down on him at the moment.

He just wanted this to be over.


	8. Chapter 8: Begging Me to Open Up

A/N: HELLO EVERYONE! I'm back! And I've actually got the next few chapters panned out, so update time will be much quicker in the coming week. Please enjoy! :)

* * *

Chapter 8: Begging Me to Open Up

Seven minutes.

Not a particularly long amount of time, but as Jack paced around the bathroom impatiently waiting for his pregnancy test results to develop, it felt like an eternity.

Thoughts raced through his mind in the meantime. If it was positive, what would his next steps be? He certainly wouldn't be able to leave Tom properly if that happened. And leaving Tom was something Jack considered top priority. Even if he would still feel a connection through their bond, Jack would much rather stay the hell away from the creep. The physical distance between them did seem to be doing the trick to lessen the weight of the bond, something Jack greatly appreciated.

Cold, gentle fingers rubbed at the still aching bite mark on his neck, and Jack sighed. If only Tom hadn't bonded him, then Jack would have no problem avoiding the Alpha in the first place. But Jack understood how hard it would be for an Alpha to withhold bonding while mating with an Omega, especially one in heat. Even if he hated that it happened, he understood why. It was biology.

His foot tapped irritably against the tiled floor. Even if it was biology, it was still bullshit.

His phone buzzed on the counter to his right. The timer he had set ended. Taking a deep steadying breath, Jack lifted the test in his shaking hands. Displayed on the small piece of plastic was a minus sign.

Negative.

Jack felt the tears bud in his eyes, quickly spilling down his cheeks in utter _relief._ He reached out to the counter top to steady himself.

Despite everything, Jack found himself laughing. It started out as nothing more than a small chuckle, but his laughter grew as the tears continued to fall until all the hysterics brought on a headache. How the actual _fuck_ had he managed to dodge that one? He was almost sure that he would have been pregnant after everything that had happened. Regardless, Jack sent a silent prayer of thanks to whoever was listening.

Calming down a bit, Jack gathered up the used test and box and stuffed them in the waste bin, covering it with extra toilet paper for good measure.

A knock on the bathroom door startled him slightly. "You okay in there?"

Jack smiled, wiping the tears from his no doubt messy face. "Fine, Mark. I'll be out soon."

"Okay…" Mark replied, and then there was a beat of hesitation before he spoke again. "I'll be in my recording room if you wanna do a collab later."

"Sure," Jack agreed easily, knowing that that would give him the perfect opportunity to have a talk with Mark. After he heard the shuffle of Mark walking away, Jack snatched up his phone and immediately dialed his older sister. "Come on, come on, pick up," Jack whined.

" _Hello?"_

"Yes! Oh thank Jesus, Allison," Jack said, sighing out in relief.

" _Seán? What's wrong?"_ Her tone was filled with worry.

Jack brushed it off. "Listen, I need you to do me a favor."

" _And what would that 'favor' be, exactly?"_ She sounded skeptical.

"Well," Jack paused, gathering his lie that he had spent so long forming. "I've come to America for a last minute YouTube thing. And it was so last minute that I don't think I locked my apartment. Can you go check for me?"

" _Christ, Seán!"_ Allison practically shouted, and Jack moved the phone away from his ear at the volume. _"Last minute is right! And what about Tom? Is he not with you?"_ Her tone hardened, and Jack swallowed nervously. He knew that Allison, being the Alpha in his family, had been very wary of Tom from the beginning. She had been suspicious of Tom from the start, and even though Jack knew that she would support him if he decided to tell her the truth, Jack would rather not have two Alphas fighting for him. His decision to keep the truth from her only solidified further.

"Yeah, no. He's not with me. Tom had some family stuff to do, so I've come alone. Can you just check in on my apartment and make sure it's locked up, please?"

Allison sighed in defeat. _"Honestly, Seán. You're so forgetful sometimes."_

Jack grinned. "Thanks, Alli! I'll owe you one."

After saying their goodbyes, Jack hung up.

He felt bad for lying to his sister, but he needed her help. Jack had literally dropped everything, abandoning his apartment and everything in it, including an injured Tom, as he flew halfway across the world. It was risky, and Jack definitely couldn't trust Tom in his apartment.

Jack wondered of how mad Tom might have been when he woke and found Jack gone. He wondered if the Alpha might have trashed his apartment in rage. He wondered if Tom were still at his apartment, or if he had left and given up on Jack. In any case, things weren't looking good.

That's why he needed his sister, a trustworthy Alpha, to go check on things for him. And if Tom had left Jack's place, then Jack didn't want his apartment being unlocked with him being gone so long and all.

The whole concussion and possible pregnancy scare had really been weighing Jack down, but now that those issues were clearing up he had more time to worry about other things. Like the state of his apartment, for one.

He also realized that he needed to talk to Mark again.

Mark was one of Jack's best friends, and never in a million years would Jack have guessed he'd be saying that he was best friends with _Markiplier_ of all people. However, the Alpha had proved himself to Jack time and time again that he was there for him and truly cared about him, and if the whole thing with Tom had never happened then Jack might have pursued something with Mark.

Jack let out a heavy sigh, thinking briefly of how things could have been. But he knew there was no sense in dwelling on how things might have turned out. All he could do now was focus on how to move forward.

He splashed his face with water in the sink, the coolness of it helping to clear his mind and wash away any remaining traces of tears. Jack then pulled out the makeup he had gotten from Mark, and got to work covering the bruises.

When he was satisfied with the even coverage, Jack noticed the eyeliner in the bottom of the bag. He grinned. The Alpha had been very meticulous picking out Jack's skin tone with the makeup, and Jack knew for a fact that Mark had put the eyeliner in there for a reason.

Feeling more confident than he had in days, Jack unwrapped the felt tip eyeliner and carefully applied it.

It had been a long time since Jack had taken time to do his makeup and doll himself up, and as Jack looked himself over in the mirror, he couldn't keep the smile from his face. He felt much better, seeing how nicely the bruise covered up, and Jack felt much more put together than he had since the Tom incident. All in all, Jack thought he did a rather good job with his makeup. He couldn't wait to see what Mark thought.

Grin in place, Jack headed out of the bathroom towards Mark's recording studio. He knocked before entering, not wanting to interrupt Mark mid-recording. Luckily that didn't seem to be the case as Jack heard a slightly muffled "Come in!" a moment after.

Jack entered just as Mark was taking a sip of his water, and Mark choked upon seeing him. Jack's grin only grew wider. "You alright there, Marky boy?"

Mark sputtered, wiping the water that fell from his lips as he snuck obvious glances at Jack. "Y-yeah. Fine. Your, uh, makeup looks nice. _You_ look nice."

"Thanks," Jack chuckled. Mark was just too cute. "I figured since ya went through all the trouble to get it all for me, I might as well wear it."

As Mark finally collected himself, he met Jack's eyes with an honest smile. "It suits you."

Now it was Jack's turn to avoid his gaze and fight off a rising blush. _Stupid Mark saying such nice things all the time!_

"Anyways," Mark said, steering their conversation to something more serious. "I wanted to talk to you about… some stuff."

Jack raised a brow. "So did I. What kind of 'stuff' did you want to talk about?"

"Well, about your mate for one," Mark said matter-of-factly, and Jack stiffened at just the mention of Tom alone. "Among other things."

"What 'other things?'" Jack asked stiffly, taking on a defensive edge now that Tom was going to be brought up.

Instead of bristling up, as most Alphas would have in response to the tone Jack had used, Mark just looked at him sadly. His expression was enough for Jack to settle down again, taking a steadying breath.

"Sit down first."

Jack knew an Alpha command when he heard one, and rather than fighting Mark further he moved to a loveseat against the far wall. Mark joined him after a moment.

"I know it's going to be hard," Mark started seriously, staring directly at Jack, who tried not to shy away from the intense gaze, "but I need you to tell me everything about your mate."

Jack didn't miss the way Mark practically spat the word 'mate'. He avoided Mark's eyes as he finally spoke in a quiet, timid voice. "I've been off my suppressants for the last six months or so to try and regulate my cycle again. To, ya know, stay healthy and all." It was an incredibly awkward thing to do, discuss his heat cycle with an unmated Alpha, but the way Mark was nodding along and clung to Jack's words spoke volumes of how attentive the Alpha was being. Jack brought his feet up on the couch, wrapping his arms around his knees for comfort. "It's still out of whack from the meds. My last cycle came early."

"How early?" Mark intervened.

Jack hesitated, feeling his nerves building. "Uh. About two months."

" _What?!"_

Jack winced at the Alpha's sudden outburst. He could smell the surprise and shock Mark was emitting before he reigned it back in.

"Sorry," Mark murmured, and Jack could sense the guilt from his yelling. "Please, continue."

"I'm not sure I can," Jack said with a snort, voice strained. "It gets kind of fucked up from there."

Jack didn't know he was shaking until Mark placed a grounding hand on his arm. Mark rubbed soothing circles into him, and Jack leaned into Mark instinctively.

"Alright," Mark relented, grabbing Jack's hand and tightening his grip reassuringly. "You don't have to talk about it now. Besides, I don't want you to ruin your makeup."

Jack chuckled at Mark's weak joke. "Nope, we definitely wouldn't want that."

There was silence between them then, and Jack noticed after a moment that Mark was trembling slightly.

"I'm sorry," Mark said, and Jack glanced up at him with worry. The Alpha's almond eyes were watery.

"Stop apologizing," Jack muttered, punching Mark's shoulder gently as he looked away. "You're just making me feel worse."

"Sor– uh, yeah," Mark sniffed, taking his glasses off for a moment to wipe at his eyes. The two sat there on the sofa, leaning into each other's shoulders as Jack tried to think of something else to say. Luckily, Mark spoke again. "I've been doing some research."

"About?" Jack prompted.

"About forced bonds, and if there were ways to break them."

Jack felt his heart skip a beat. "And?"

Mark hummed in thought. "There really wasn't much, initially. So I did some more digging on private forums, and apparently it actually _is_ possible."

" _Apparently?"_

Mark let out a deep sigh. "It's still just the internet, after all. I couldn't find any medical journals or documents about it. Just people sharing their own stories and experiences. You kind of have to take their word with a grain of salt."

"Well, it's good enough for me," Jack assured easily. "If people say it can happen then I think it's worth a shot at least."

Mark smiled warmly at him. "Always the optimist."

Jack grinned back, squeezing the Alpha's hand lightly from where their hands were still intertwined. As Mark's expression sobered up again, Jack tried to center himself once more.

"Your bond is incomplete, isn't it."

Mark said it as more of a statement than a question, as though he were simply stating a fact. Jack nodded in reply.

"Otherwise you wouldn't have been able to scent with me this morning."

"Yeah," Jack agreed. He knew the Alpha was right. If Jack's bond had been whole and complete, then he would have no drive or desire to deeply scent with someone other than his mate. But since it wasn't complete, Jack hoped that he could break the weak bond between him and Tom.

Mark rubbed his thumb over the back of Jack's hand slowly. "From what I've read, there's no true way to break the bond. I'm sorry."

Jack's breath caught in his throat. "Wh– what? But–"

"But," Mark interjected quickly before Jack could prattle on more. "There seems to be an alternative."

Jack wasn't sure he could speak if he tried. He opted to stay silent and wait for Mark to continue.

"The alternative being to create a new bond with a different Alpha, a wholly _complete_ bond. That way, your biology will focus solely on the complete bond rather than the forced one, which can fade significantly over time, as some Omegas have said."

"Mark, that's, that's just _crazy,"_ Jack choked out. "I've never heard of something like that."

"Crazy, I know. And I've never heard of it either, till a bit ago," Mark replied with a sigh. "But it makes sense, doesn't it? Biologically speaking."

"I mean, I guess," Jack mumbled.

As silence took over once more, Jack could taste the rising apprehension in the air of the elephant in the room. Obviously Mark would be the best candidate to try this with. Jack could try and bond with him to override his bond with Tom. And it might work, even though Mark didn't seem too over the top with his found solution. But if it didn't work… Jack could only imagine how fucked up their bond could get, skewed and distorted as Jack technically already had a mate. Jack shivered at the thought.

Mark patted Jack's thigh reassuringly. "We can talk more about it later. For now, let's get some recording done."

Jack nodded, smiling as he and Mark got up from the couch. "Right. So, I was thinking that we could do a 'how well do you know each other' type video. I saw the one you did about me, and figured we could do something along the lines of that."

Mark let out a bellow of a laugh. "So you _did_ see that train wreck of a video."

"No, no, it was great," Jack assured with a laugh of his own. Before he could say anything more, his phone buzzed rhythmically in his pocket. He snatched it out, minutely surprised to see the caller ID reading as 'Allison'. "It's my sister. I'm just gonna take this real quick." Jack quickly exited the recording studio, answering the call as he shut the door behind him. "Hey, Alli. What's up?"

" _I just got to your apartment."_

Jack startled slightly at her serious tone. "And?"

" _The door was unlocked. Your living room is a mess."_

"What else?" Jack's mouth felt dry.

" _Pheromones are all over the damn place. Seán… what the hell happened here?"_

"Um," Jack began, voice quieting as he glanced around the empty hall. "Tom and I _may_ have gotten in a fight."

" _Uh, yeah. No fockin' shit, Seán,"_ His sister deadpanned. _"Did he do something to you? Do I need to kick his ass?"_

Despite the severity of their conversation, Jack found himself smiling. "No, it's okay. I'm going to take care of things."

Allison sighed. _"You fockin' better when he gets there."_

Jack froze. "Wait. What?"

" _There's some flight details on your computer still up. It looks like he just left your apartment, too."_


	9. Chapter 9: Ignite Me

**Chapter 9: Ignite Me**

Jack went straight to the bathroom after the call with his sister, immediately dropping in front of the toilet and retching into it at just the thought of Tom following after him all the way to America.

He finished spitting the rest of his breakfast into the bowl, wiping his mouth with a trembling hand as Jack tried to reason things out. Sure, his sister told him that Tom had bought a plane ticket to arrive at the LAX airport, but there was _no way_ that Tom would be able to find Jack in the several million large city, even with their weak bond still in place. Right?

"There's no way,"Jack muttered in a low, fearful tone. "There's no way… Our bond isn't strong enough for him to find me..."

Another function of the bond, along with the ability to sense a mate's emotions and mood, gave mates a general idea of where their partner was at any given time. Even through his weak bond with Tom, Jack could pick up slight hints of anger from his mate. The fact that Jack could sense his mate's emotions, even with this distance, hit him like a punch to the gut. The tug of Jack's bond, while still minimal compared to what a complete bond would allow, was just the _tiniest_ bit stronger than the night before.

Tom was getting closer.

There was the sound of the door opening behind him, someone walking in and trying to talk to him, but the noise was all muffled and distorted. Jack was too panicked to process or do anything but hug his knees tightly to his chest and curl up on the bathroom floor. Whoever it was that entered the room knelt beside him, wrapping a firm arm around his shaking shoulders. He wasn't sure when he started crying, but Jack quickly became aware of his jeans dampening at the knees where his face was buried in them. All he could hear was the hammering beat of his heart, deafeningly loud in his ears.

It seemed like an eternity before the sound began to return to normal. Jack gradually became aware of his low, ragged breathing and occasional choked sob, and a soft humming from the person wrapping their arms around him. He picked up calming pheromones, deep earthy scents of lavender and herb that reminded Jack of growing up in the cabin with his family. The smell was so relaxing that Jack practically melted at how strong the Alpha scents were. _Mark._

Mark continued to embrace him, grounding him to the present, and Jack turned to the Alpha with a tired smile.

"I guess I ruined the makeup, after all."

Mark, with an expression of pure empathy and worry, smiled back. "You can always do it again."

Instead of the aftermath of his panic attack being awkward, Jack felt nothing, if not a bit safe with Mark in the room. Mark stood, holding his arms out to lift a stiff Jack to his feet. Jack grimaced when he saw his reflection in the mirror. Snot dripped from his nose, eyeliner smeared and leaving darkened tracks down his cheeks with the drying tears.

"Like I said, you can always do it again," Mark chuckled in an effort to lighten the mood.

Jack snorted, grabbing more tissue to wipe at his face. When the mess had been successfully cleared off, Mark waiting patiently in the meantime, the two headed out of the bathroom. They ended up in the guest bedroom, the one Jack was currently occupying. Jack crawled onto the bed, pulling the covers up and over him, Mark joining him after a moment. He gnawed at his fingernail, feeling the anxiety build once more in his gut for the, no doubt, uncomfortable conversation he was about to have with Mark.

"So," Mark began, clearing his throat as his voice cracked slightly. "What did your sister say?"

Jack sighed, bringing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them once more. It was a comforting position for an Omega, making them smaller and less threatening. It was safe. "It was about Tom."

"Tom?" Mark echoed back, and Jack turned to him in confusion before it clicked. Mark had never even heard his name before. And Jack would have liked to keep it that way, but the situation was too risky for him at the moment for Jack to keep things from his friend.

"He's… my Alpha," Jack said, reluctant to even call his rapist that.

Mark stiffened. "What about him?"

"Well, I didn't exactly get his _permission_ to come here," Jack muttered.

"And?" Mark prompted when Jack remained silent.

Jack tightened his grip on his legs. "And now he's coming to find me." His voice was barely above a whisper, but the way Mark reached out and wrapped a supportive arm around him told Jack that the Alpha had heard him just fine.

"Does he know where to go?" Mark's deep, serious tone gave Jack a start. He was using his Alpha voice, low and rough yet authoritative at the same time.

"I– I don't know," Jack admitted with a whimper. "Allison said that my flight information was pulled up on my desktop, a–and the tab left open was his own ticket info. That's, that's all I know."

Mark let out a low rumble of a growl on his exhale, and Jack flinched just hearing it. He'd heard Mark growl before, all in jest and during play, of course, yet this noise was completely different. Mark was in full protective Alpha mode, furious on Jack's behalf. Which was really heartwarming if Jack thought about it, since Alphas usually only acted that way if their mate was threatened. _Mate._ There was that word again. With it brought Jack nothing but grief, wishing he could have had someone better for his mate. _Someone like Mark._

"Seán?"

"Huh?" Jack questioned, snapping out of his thoughts.

Mark tightened his embrace on the smaller Omega. "I said, it's going to be okay."

"How do you know?" Jack wailed suddenly, tears pricking at his eyes again. "I fought with Tom right before I left. _I tore his fockin' ear off, Mark._ He's not going to come find me and take me back to Ireland to be his Omega bitch. _He's going to fockin' kill me!"_

"I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you," Mark growled, dark chocolate eyes staring straight into Jack's terrified blue orbs. "Even if he does come to LA, he won't be able to find you. Your bond with him is too weak for that."

"But you don't know for sure!" Jack cried, voice pitched upwards. "He could still find me!"

"Even if he _does_ manage to find you, I won't let him hurt you," Mark promised.

"How?" Jack let out a shrill chuckle, volume bordering on hysterics. "We can't go to the police for this. Are ya goin' to fockin' fight him too?"

"Yes," Mark answered without missing a beat. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe."

Jack quieted down at that. While he was sure Mark cared about him, this was some next level shit. Two Alphas fighting over him? That was something straight out of a soap opera. And unlike the television shows, real life Alpha fights were dangerous. Mark could get _killed_ if things went wrong.

"Why?" Jack asked, bringing a hand up to scrub at the fresh tears. "Why would you want to go through so much for someone like _me?"_

Mark's answer was immediate and stole the breath right out of Jack's lungs.

"Because I love you, that's why."

Jack didn't reply.

Instead he tugged Mark closer to himself, mashing his lips against the Alpha's.


	10. Chapter 10: Selfish

**Chapter 10: Selfish**

It only took a few seconds for Jack to realize what he was doing.

He practically tore himself away from Mark, immediately stuttering apologizes. Mark was shocked into silence, too bewildered to speak. Jack took that as Mark being upset. "I'm so sorry," he rambled, heart beating a mile a minute and face heating with embarrassment from his actions.

"Sorry?" Mark finally asked, snapping out of his stupor. "I literally just told you I love you. Why are _you_ the one apologizing?"

"I don't know," Jack whined, burying his head in his hands. "I'm just scared about messing things up."

"Listen," Mark said in a soft, calming voice, "I want to be here for you, I want to provide for you, I want to be _your Alpha._ But only if you'll let me. I won't do anything you don't want me to."

Jack took several deep breaths of his earthy, relaxing scent before admitting, "I want that too."

"Then what's the problem?" Mark asked, genuinely confused.

"What if we try bonding and it doesn't work? What if my body rejects the bond because I'm already _claimed,"_ Jack said, sneering at the last word. "I don't want to mess things up for you just because I'm being selfish." It felt weird, voicing aloud his fears, but Jack had a feeling that Mark would know exactly what to say.

"Seán, you're not being selfish. I wouldn't offer if I didn't really mean it. I'll accept any consequences that come out of it." Mark put his hand atop Jack's, squeezing gently. "I only wish I could have courted you properly, a long time ago. You deserve that."

Jack snorted. "I don't need any 'proper courting'." _I just need you_ went unsaid.

Mark smiled sadly. "I wish we had more time. I don't want to rush you if you're not ready."

"It's okay," Jack assured. "It'll mean much more doing this with someone I love."

They both paused for a moment, and when Jack comprehend the implications of what he just said, he groaned, scratching at his head in embarrassment. Mark merely chuckled, but his grin became more relaxed with the confirmation that Jack had the same feelings.

"When do you want to do this?" Mark asked, centering their conversation again.

"Tom's flight is supposed to be here tomorrow morning. Before then would be best," Jack replied, feeling his face heat. Sure, he'd had sex plenty in the past with his exes, but those times were more casual than anything. He'd never planned out when to not only mate with but _bond_ with someone.

Usually between Alphas and Omegas, the Alpha would announce their intent to pursue the Omega, and the courting would begin. After some time of testing how things would work, the Omega could either accept or deny the Alpha as their partner.

Jack had been courted in the past, and had been in several long-term relationships because of it. Yet things just hadn't worked out, his potential Alpha partners usually asking him to quit his job and fall into the stereotypical role of Omega caregiver, something Jack just couldn't do.

After his last break up with his girlfriend, Jack had even thought about pursuing Mark. It wasn't unheard of for Omegas to go after Alphas, but the distance between the two YouTubers was intimidating. Yet his crush on Mark remained.

And now, actually talking about taking Mark as a mate and _bonding_ with him… that was just plain _crazy._

"How about later tonight? I'll come up with something to get Matt and Ryan out of the house," Mark said, snapping Jack out of his thoughts.

"Oh, yeah, that's a good idea," Jack replied, but then something occurred to him. "Oh _fuck._ Ryan."

Mark raised a brow. "What about him?"

"He's so traditional, he's going to think you're trying to steal me away from my mate," Jack grumbled.

"Oh, come on. Ryan _may_ not be the most open-minded Alpha, but he'll still support us." Despite his words, Mark frowned, his expression unsure.

Jack closed his eyes with a sigh. "He'll only support us if he knows the truth."

"Jack," Mark said seriously. "You don't have to tell him or Matt anything if you don't want to."

"I have to, though. Ryan won't understand unless he knows that the bond was forced between Tom and I," Jack countered. "Besides, I'd rather not have Ryan start resenting my new mate."

Mark, who opened his mouth in opposition, quickly clammed up again. A light rose dusted his cheeks at the thought of Jack calling him his mate. "Alright," he said reluctantly. "But only if you're sure about it."

"Oh, I'm sure alright," Jack replied, throwing the covers off himself and getting up out of bed. "I'll go tell them both right now."

Mark's hand caught his wrist. "I'll come with you."

Jack paused, then smiled. "Well, of course you will. I'll need my new mate by my side." He grinned as his wording earned another blush out of the Alpha.

"Oh, one more thing" Mark said suddenly, and before Jack could question _what,_ the Alpha had reached out, holding Jack's stubbly cheeks as Mark connected their lips together. Jack practically melted into the kiss, anxious shoulders dropping as Jack let out a hum of content. Their mouths moved slowly against one another, and Jack relished in the warmth of his long-term crush's lips against his.

When Jack pulled away, Mark gave him a confident smile. Jack could pick up the pure happiness radiating off the Alpha in waves, and feeling much more sure of himself, Jack easily returned the smile.

He wasn't sure what would come of telling Ryan and Matt the truth about his bond with Tom. And without definite confirmation about how attempting to create a new bond would work out, Jack's stomach was a bundle of nerves. He desperately wanted things to turn out well, but Jack knew his luck well enough by that point to know that things rarely ever worked in his favor.

Still, he felt a hell of a lot better with Mark at his side, knowing that the Alpha wasn't just talk, and truly cared for– no, _loved_ –Jack. That knowledge was more reassuring than anything. That even if things ended poorly, Mark would still love and support him, like a true Alpha would their mate.

Hand in hand, the two headed downstairs to have a talk with their housemates.


	11. Chapter 11: Licking at the Flames

**A/N: Someone asked for Mark POV? Ask and you shall receive ;)**

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Licking at the Flames**

As Mark trailed a few steps behind Jack down the stairs, right hand being tugged forward by the Omega, he couldn't believe that any of this was actually _happening._

When he first met Jack in person at PAX East a couple years back, he'd had absolutely no idea how greatly the Omega would affect him. Jack was such a kind, caring, and delightfully funny person to be around, and Mark had immediately fallen head over heels. At first, he thought it was no more than just a crush, that it was just Mark latching onto the first Omega who was nice to him. Yet the way that Mark's heart would practically melt anytime Jack so much as smiled at him made him think differently.

And Mark had been close, _so close_ to saying something to him. There were so many times that Mark wanted to confess and admit just how much he really liked Jack.

But that would have been selfish of him.

Jack was a young Omega in his prime. He still had so much time to go out and meet people, he shouldn't be settling down so quickly with someone like _Mark_ of all people. What kind of Alpha would Mark be if he tried to court him over such a long distance? Considering how far they lived apart, and the whole 'long distance relationships never work out' stigma, Mark became more than a bit discouraged. So, he decided to remain friends with Jack. It seemed wrong, since he was secretly wanting more with the Omega, but Mark tried to at least show that he knew his boundaries. Mark tried to be a decent, respectable Alpha, but sometimes his emotions and possessiveness got the better of him.

Like his last Skype call with Jack.

Mark had just been so unexpectedly _hurt_ that not only had Jack found an Alpha who wasn't Mark– which would have been fine, it didn't _have_ to be Mark –but it was the fact that Jack hadn't even told Mark that an Alpha approached him to court him. Mark considered the two very close friends, and he'd been upset when Jack came out to his fans first about his new mate without even mentioning it to him.

Though as Jack showed up on his doorstep after not hearing from him for a while, injured and distraught, Mark immediately knew something was wrong. He'd had his suspicions of whoever Jack's mate was. When Jack arrived at his house, his normally sweet, enticing Omegan scent had been soured. Jack was tired and seemed to be holding something back, and there was a strange, thick Alpha scent masking his. There was also the underlying post-heat scent that Mark could pick up, and his heart ached sympathetically for whatever Jack had been up to prior to coming to LA.

So when Jack had admitted that the bond with his Alpha was _forced,_ Mark knew he had to do something. He had to do something to the bastard that raped, marked, and bonded Jack against his will. He had to do something to the bastard that threw the Omega down a flight of stairs, earning him a concussion. He had to do something to the Alpha that took Jack's freedom away from him _._ However, what that something was, Mark had no idea.

In his spare time he poured over articles and forums online of Omegas who went through similar traumas. What he found seemed too good to be true.

Without thinking too hard about what could go wrong, Mark decided to share his findings with Jack. There was no guarantee that any of it would work, but Mark thought that the Omega deserved to know. But Jack had been so horribly upset _for Mark,_ thinking only about how things could turn out wrong, or wondering why Mark would even consider going through such lengths for him.

And that broke Mark's heart to hear the Omega talk about himself in such a low way. Mark wanted Jack to know just how much he really meant to him, so he just couldn't help himself as he confessed to the Omega after that. How could he not?

The kiss afterwards completely blew him away as well.

Mark had had some sneaking suspicion that Jack had some form of feelings for him as well and had seemed to be holding back for the same reasons Mark was. The kiss helped Mark to solidify his thoughts and reserve to help Jack in absolutely any way he could. Mark simply loved him too much to just stand by and send him back to his abuser.

" _It'll mean much more doing this with someone I love."_

Jack's words stayed in his mind, repeating over and over as the two made their way to the living room where Matt and Ryan were seated.

If Mark were being perfectly honest with himself, he wasn't sure how Ryan would accept what they had to say.

Ryan was a rather traditional Alpha, raised to believe, like many others, that Alphas need not overstep their bounds or get too involved with already bonded Omegas. It was considered rude to do so, as it implied that the Omega's mate couldn't properly take care of them. And Mark knew that Ryan was uncomfortable on Jack's behalf for Mark's recent behavior. The other Alpha had told him so just the day before.

When Mark had tried to stay in line after lunch the day prior, Ryan had come into his recording space not moments after him. Mark picked up the serious scent the Alpha was putting out, and though he knew the reason it was there, Mark still tried to play innocent.

"What's up, Ryan?" he'd asked, voice strained.

Ryan had sighed, leaning up against the wall by the door and crossing his arms. His posture clearly said _no leaving the room until I'm done speaking._ "Look, I know you and Jack are close and all, but you really have to give him some space."

Mark tried not to bristle at the Alpha's commanding tone. He knew that Ryan only meant well, and didn't want Mark to make a fool of himself as he often had in the past by missing scent cues in the air. "I know," he'd gritted out.

Ryan raised a brow at that. "Clearly you don't, otherwise you wouldn't be acting like his fucking mate. News flash, Mark, he _already has one."_

Friend or no, Ryan's words had Mark growling lowly. "He's just a friend, Ryan."

"Yes, that's exactly what he is, Mark. Just a friend, no more. You missed that train already, bud," Ryan snorted, and Mark tried not to flinch at the harsh truth of his words. "I don't want to be repeating myself." And then Ryan had left, leaving a torn Mark, wondering if he truly had the right to be acting the way he was around Jack.

But now, things were different.

Now Mark knew that Jack had feelings for him as well, and he knew that Jack trusted him and loved him enough to try and form a new bond to try and override Jack's weak bond with Tom.

Mark could only pray that Ryan would understand.

"What's wrong, guys?" Matt asked, turning down the tv volume as Mark and Jack stood before them.

Mark tried to reign in his nervous scent to keep Jack and Ryan from knowing how truly anxious he was about the whole ordeal. This was going to be an important conversation, and he wanted to be strong for Jack.

Jack sighed. "We need to talk…"

Ryan sat up straighter. "If this is about Mark overstepping his bounds, then I can have another talk with him, Jack."

Matt raised a brow. Mark sucked in a breath as Jack stiffened.

"What do you mean 'another'?" Jack questioned, turning to Mark with furrowed, worried brows.

"I told him to step off yesterday," Ryan sighed, shaking his head. "I guess the message wasn't clear enough."

"No, the message was _perfectly_ clear," Mark snapped, regretting his tone immediately as Jack flinched away from him in surprise and Ryan stood, growling.

"Jack, what's happening?" Matt asked desperately over the rising growls of the Alphas, a dull mix of fear and confusion emanating from the Beta.

Matt's small scent was quickly drowned out by Ryan's overpowering Alpha pheromones. Ryan was pissed, and Mark wasn't one to back down from a challenge. He'd been acting a bit too passive as of late when it came to Ryan, and Mark needed to stand up for himself. Mark lowered himself into a fighting stance as Ryan took a threatening step forward.

"Mark, you don't have to do this," Jack pleaded, moving away from them towards the scared Beta to comfort Matt during all the chaos. "Remember why we're here."

Matt practically leaped off the sofa towards Jack, latching onto the Omega in fear. The rage that was building within Mark died down a bit as he caught himself. _What the fuck am I doing,_ Mark inwardly groaned. He wanted to have a reasonable discussion with Ryan and Matt, and here he was instigating a fight with the other Alpha in the house? _What is wrong with me._

"Ryan, you don't have to keep Mark in check," Jack said seriously, speaking directly to the snarling Alpha. "We came to have a talk about something else."

Ryan stilled slightly at that. "What about?" he asked, voice gruff.

"It's about my bond, with my– uh, –my mate," Jack murmured, and it was such a change from his previous, commanding voice, his tone suddenly vulnerable, that had both Alphas pause with concern for the house Omega.

And that's when it really clicked with Mark.

He and Ryan were unused to having an Omega in their group dynamic, and they were all still figuring out how to make it work. Yet the moment Jack showed up, they all accepted him as part of their makeshift pack. Ryan already seemed protective enough of him, more than ready to fight Mark and have him back down if Mark was threatening Jack in some way. Even if they weren't quite used to the new group dynamics, it was clear that Jack mattered to them all and that he'd already been accepted by them in one way or another.

Mark cleared his throat awkwardly, returning to a casual, standing position after the stance he'd taken in preparation for a fight with Ryan. After seeing Mark step down, the other Alpha in the house straightened up as well.

"Jesus fucking Christ, what the hell was all of that about?" Matt questioned, exasperated. He was still holding onto Jack on the side. Fear still soured his scent.

"I don't know, care to explain, Mark?" Ryan said, some lingering sneer in words.

Mark bristled at that, but otherwise tried not to get too riled up again. It wouldn't do any of them any good for him and Ryan to fight.

"Sorry about that," he said, ignoring Ryan for the moment and speaking to Matt with an apologetic smile, knowing how much he had upset the Beta. And Jack, if the slight _disappointment_ in his scent was anything to go by.

Jack sighed, rolling his eyes. "Alphas, I swear," he murmured quietly to Matt, who scoffed in agreement. The two seemed comfortable enough together, arms and hands intertwined for mutual comfort and protection in light of the Alpha tension. Mark hoped that they wouldn't be too upset with him after what he'd just done.

"Still waiting," Ryan reminded, words short and snippy.

Mark's eyes narrowed marginally at him, though he knew better than to feed into that Alpha behavior again. "This is something that Jack should say himself."

Jack, being put on the spot, stiffened at the mention of his name. He sighed again, raking a free hand through his green locks. "My bond is incomplete."

This had Ryan turning to him with surprise.

Matt glanced at him, brows drawn together. "What does that mean? Why wasn't it finished?"

Mark certainly didn't envy Jack for the position he was in as all attention in the room was entirely focused on him.

"It was forced."


	12. Chapter 12: Running Out of Time

**A/N: Sorry for not updating here in a while. This site isn't my preferred fanfic site anymore, ao3 is. I update there more frequently, so be sure to check me out on ao3: fawnchara**

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 **Chapter 12: Running Out of Time**

As expected, it had been an extremely awkward and uncomfortable discussion from that one line of admittance, wherein Jack did his best to explain his situation to the others.

Matt had thankfully been extremely sympathetic, hugging Jack tightly and telling him how sorry he was that everything happened the way it did, and wishing Mark and him the best of luck in forming their new bond. But Jack had more or less figured he would react that way.

It was Ryan he'd really been worried about.

The Alpha had stood stock still as Jack spoke, jaw set and teeth clenched. Anger emanated from him, though Ryan's facial expression remained neutral. Occasionally his nostrils flared, showing through to the seething Alpha underneath the display.

Towards the end of the discussion, he uncrossed his arms and made his way over to where Jack and Matt were still huddled up together. Jack gave him a wary look, unsure what the Alpha was up to. Mark watched on from the side, and Jack sought his brown eyes for comfort.

Though as Ryan pulled Jack into a bear hug, Jack felt himself melt with relief. That was also when the tears started.

Matt eagerly joined in on the hug, and Jack held an arm open for Mark. The other Alpha quickly took his place, and then their pack hug was complete. Jack sobbed onto Ryan's shoulder, the Alpha patting his back gently and telling him that everything was going to be okay, and that he was there for him. Both Alphas put out calming pheromones, and Jack breathed them in greedily as he sucked in stuttering breaths.

Eventually he pulled away with a chuckle, wiping furiously at his eyes. "It looks like I just can't help but cry today."

Matt, who was also a mess of tears, placed an arm over Jack's shoulders. "At least these are happy tears."

Jack definitely couldn't disagree with him on that.

Matt hugged Jack again, promising that he'd keep Ryan out of the house so Jack and Mark could 'get busy'. Jack choked on his breath at that, pink tinting his cheeks in nervous anticipation.

Ryan went in for another hug as well, apologizing again to Jack in a surprisingly soft voice. There was a slight sour tinge to Ryan's woody scent, and Jack knew that he must feel bad for making assumptions about putting Mark in his place. Jack patted his back, holding onto him and putting out encouragement in his scent to let the Alpha know he was forgiven. Neither mentioned how Ryan's shoulders were trembling.

Matt ran to grab his wallet and keys, urging Ryan to get his stuff so they could leave the house and give Mark and Jack their privacy. Part of Jack thought it was weird, waving the others off and letting them leave so he and Mark could have sex. But the other part of Jack knew that they cared enough to give them the room to try and bond properly. It was nice. Awkward as hell, but nice nonetheless.

As Jack and Mark saw them off from the porch, Mark's arm a comforting weight along his shoulders, Jack couldn't help but notice the way Ryan's eyes met with Mark's. Neither Alpha said a word, though they gave a single nod to one another before Ryan got in the car. Jack had no idea what that was about, opting to brush it off as some Alpha thing that he just wouldn't pick up on.

Matt wished them luck again, eyes still shiny with watery tears as he climbed in the passenger seat. Jack leaned more heavily into Mark's side as the Alpha's arm tightened around him. The two waved them off, and then Mark and Jack were alone. The sun was setting, the sky a beautiful mix of deep blues and fading yellows.

"Are you ready?" Mark asked, a rumbling timbre in his voice.

Jack's stomach was a mess of butterflies. He tried to quell that, biting at the inside of his cheek and nodding to Mark's words.

"Good, because I'm starving!" Mark said, placing a quick peck to his lips before heading back into the house towards the kitchen.

Jack felt his face heat with embarrassment, hurrying to scramble after the Alpha. "Are you _seriously_ making dinner right now?"

"Uh, yes?" Mark replied, as though the answer was obvious. "It's dinnertime. We should eat before we do anything."

And while he had a point there, Jack knew that they were running out of time. He opened his mouth to say just that, but Mark beat him to it.

"We'll need to keep our energy levels up. Plus, you're hungry right?"

Jack's perfectly timed grumbling stomach was confirmation enough.

"Right, so," Mark went on, grabbing ingredients out of the stove and bringing a pot to boil. "I'll make us something real quick. I know we don't have all the time in the world. Though I wish we did…"

Jack grimaced. He knew that Mark, being the attentive Alpha he was, had a point with the food thing, but his stomach was already in knots just thinking about what they were going to do and how little time they had. Even if he loved Mark, a few kisses and a love confession in one day was a _little_ stretch to automatically be hopping on the Alpha's dick. And while Jack didn't necessarily believe in the proper courting process for himself, things were almost moving _too quick._ Of course, he wasn't really in a position to complain, either.

"Everything okay?" Mark asked suddenly, and Jack realized that his internal worry must have been leaking into his scent.

"Yeah, just," Jack mumbled, trailing off.

"Just what?" Mark prompted anxiously, Jack having his full attention.

Jack let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know, it's stupid."

Mark frowned, setting down the vegetables he was just chopping. "Since you just said that, it's definitely _not_ stupid." When Jack didn't say anything, Mark continued. "Are you having second thoughts about doing this?"

"Of course not!" Jack immediately yelped, frown matching the Alpha's and bright blue eyes shining in defiance. Mark's shoulders slumped in relief that Jack wasn't backing out, and Jack felt immensely guilty for giving the Alpha that impression. "I was just worried that we're moving too quickly!"

"Oh," Mark said quietly. "Yeah."

The silence that followed was awkward to say the least.

Mark cleared his throat, catching Jack's attention from where his gaze had drifted off to the floor. "Listen, I know this situation isn't ideal, but I'm just going to remind you that you don't _have_ to do this, and–"

"No," Jack snapped, and Mark blinked in surprise at the intensity in the Omega's tone. "I _do_ want to do this with you. I do. Believe me, I've dreamt about it before." Jack felt his face flush at his words, but he knew that his raw honesty was necessary to get the point across. "If there was anyone I'd have to do this with, I would want it to be you… I just, I guess at least _some_ courting would have been nice? I don't know, It just feels so… _fast."_

Mark's bittersweet smile stole the breath right out of Jack's lungs. "I love you, Jack. I wish I could give you everything you deserve."

Jack gave him a sad smile back. "You're already giving me so much."

When dinner was ready, Mark served Jack a plate of fettucini alfredo noodles with mixed veggies on the side. He let Mark pull his chair out from him at the kitchen table, Jack smiling fondly at the Alpha's effort. Mark even popped a bottle of red wine, though that had Jack snorting.

"I'm more of a lite beer kind of guy," he joked, choking on his pasta in disbelief when he saw Mark leap up from the table and return with a Bud Lite.

The food was good, _really_ good, though most of all Jack enjoyed the company he had it with. He and Mark had a light-hearted conversation, and it easily reminded Jack on why he fell for the Alpha in the first place. Mark was so caring and genuine and did his absolute best to make Jack feel comfortable.

And Jack appreciated it.

The more he thought about bonding with Mark, the more he realized that he really did want it. He'd been so torn at first, unsure if that was what he really wanted, or if he was just using Mark to cancel out the bond with Tom. Though it seemed he didn't have to worry at all. Mark was _for sure_ what he wanted.

He was an attentive Alpha, and would surely take care of Jack properly, not only in everyday life but in bed as well. Mark was the type of guy who wouldn't rest until his Omega was properly filled and sated. And as Jack continued to think about the bonding process, he felt his face heat. He crossed his legs uncomfortably, feeling a spark of arousal.

As Mark was clearing the table, he raised a brow. "You alright there, Jackaboy?" His tone was nothing short of cocky. He obviously caught the change in Jack's scent.

"Fine," he grit out, and Jack had to physically bite his lip to keep from whining when Mark purposely bent over for the dishwasher, giving Jack a nice view of his ass. "Jerk."

Mark laughed, closing up the washer and starting it. As he turned back to Jack, his almond eyes were darkened with something akin to _want_. Jack let out a needy whine, surprising himself, and Mark quickly closed the distance between them, tilting Jack's head up with a steady hand and eager lips meeting his. Jack sighed out at the contact, eyes fluttering shut and relaxing into the kiss. Yep, this was _definitely_ what he wanted.

When Mark pulled away again, Jack tried leaning forward, chasing after the kiss. "Upstairs?" the Alpha asked, voice low and husky.

Jack shivered, giving a jerky nod. He could already feel the beginnings of slick form in anticipation.

Once upstairs Mark kicked the door to his bedroom wide open, leading Jack towards the bed. They stood before it, lips meeting each other hungrily, tongues delving deeper. Jack let out a keening whine, shifting his hips uncomfortably from the growing dampness in his boxers.

Mark pulled back instantly, Jack blinking with surprise. "Are you sure about this?" he asked, voice raspy and strained. His pupils were blown wide with lust, barely a ring of brown around then, and Jack was amazed at how much self control the Alpha was showing in that moment.

Instead of replying, Jack wrapped his arms around Mark and pulled him in for another kiss. This one was sweeter and softer, conveying that _yes,_ this was something that Jack truly wanted. The scent of happiness and relief assaulted his nostrils, and Jack smiled into the kiss knowing that Mark wanted this just as badly as he did.

Jack felt himself being backed up, mouth still longingly connected to the other as the backs of his knees hit the bed. Jack let himself be lowered onto the plush surface, staring intently as Mark gingerly climbed on top of him, peppering his face with gentle, fleeting kisses. Mark sat up briefly, practically ripping off his own shirt in his haste to get it off, yanking off Jack's shirt in the same manner a moment later. Jack snorted, amused.

Mark leaned back down, stroking Jack's cheek as the Omega nuzzled into the open palm. Mark readjusted himself, sticking his knee in between Jack's legs and pressing down at the bulge there. Jack tensed, letting out a small gasp at the pressure. He felt hot all over, yearning for what was to come. Jack whined again. He needed the rest of his clothes off, and _now_.

Mark growled possessively, mouthing at the space by his ear, and Jack shivered at the dominant sound. He'd never heard Mark growl like that and _man_ did it make Jack's hole clench up in anticipation.

Jack gasped out as the older's face lowered into the juncture of his neck, shivering again from the heated sensation of Mark breathing in his scent as the Alpha nosed along his exposed skin. Jack let out a startled yelp as Mark's mouth connecting with his shoulder, his hot, wet tongue tracing patterns onto the pale skin as he mouthed at the mark Tom had placed upon him. Blunt teeth bit down lightly, as though testing the give.

"Do it," Jack whined, tilting his head to allow more access for his the Alpha. He wanted this. He wanted Mark to bite him, to _claim_ him. Jack wanted the mark on his neck to belong to Mark, not Tom. He could still feel Tom through his weak bond, feel the other's seething anger, and Jack _hated it._ He didn't want to be tied down to an abuser like that. He needed someone he really loved and trusted to treat him right. Jack pressed closer to Mark, baring his neck submissively. _"Please,_ Alpha," he panted, mouth open and tasting the arousal and desire in the air.

With a rumbling growl, teeth sank into the meat of his shoulder and Jack cried out from the sharp pain. He winced, Mark's large hands steadying him, and the pain gradually faded into pleasure as odd waves of heat surged through his body.

Mark retracted his teeth a moment later and started kissing and suckling at the skin, lapping at the blood that pooled from the wound and nipping gently. Jack squeezed the other's broad shoulders, letting out shuddering breaths and eyelids fluttering shut as Mark continued tonguing the area. The younger squirmed and whimpered under his Alpha, feeling the dampness in his boxers grow.

Jack watched intently as Mark sat up with a smile, lips tinted with blood. Jack's cheeks were flushed and he was breathing heavily, his pale blue eyes glazed over with lust. Mark lowered himself again, tilting his head and offering Jack his own neck.

"Now me."

Jack let out a needy whine. He nosed the tan, blemish-free skin before him, noting that the rich, earthy scent Mark owned was stronger with his lust and need. Jack choked on his breath, feeling a new pang of arousal as he scented just how badly hisAlpha needed him. _His_ Alpha. Jack pressed a delicate, shaky kiss onto Mark's shoulder, watching with surprise a moment later as Mark's shoulders rose and fell lightly, his Alpha letting out a rumbling laugh.

"Don't be nervous," he said gently, deep voice startling Jack. "Just do what feels natural."

Jack took another deep breath, inhaling the encouraging pheromones from Mark, and bit down sharply. The other flinched and groaned before steadying himself, letting the Omega mark him and complete the bond. The salty tang of blood assaulted his taste buds, and Jack swallowed around the meat in his mouth before retracting his teeth and licking at the wound as Mark had previously done to him.

The two sat there, breathing deeply, drunk of each other's' scents and blissfully content with their newly completed bond.

"Did it work?" Jack asked nervously. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to feel something right away, if it would be different than how he felt instinctively towards Tom, or if the bond even worked in the first place.

To his surprise, Mark merely smiled. "I don't know, you tell me."

There was a bit of playfulness to his words, and Jack raised a brow to question him before he _felt it._ He knew Mark was pleased, and of course he could tell by Mark's scent or expression, but Jack just _knew._ He could feel how Mark felt, he could feel the satisfaction and nervous energy from him deep down. Whatever small tug Jack felt towards Tom was all but gone. Jack couldn't help himself from grinning.

"Do you want to stop here?" Mark asked, and Jack blinked with minute confusion.

Jack was amazed. His Alpha was so concerned with treating him properly and making sure he had consent before he did anything, ready to stop there despite obvious the bulge in his jeans. Mark still reeked of arousal, and Jack could tell that his Alpha was suppressing his own desire to ravage him like he really wanted to. That thought alone had Jack shivering, biting his lip with a groan and shifting his hips on the bed. He tugged Mark closer to himself, dragging him into a kiss full of tongue and teeth, bucking his hips up and pressing his own hardened member into his Alpha's. Mark gasped into the kiss from the sudden pressure on his cock, Jack swallowing his moans greedily. He pulled away a moment later, fixing Mark with a cheeky grin, spit dribbling down his chin.

"Does that answer your question?"


End file.
